Bowls, boxes and vases are familiar forms for woodturner Thomas Hasting, but he also likes to see what happens when he tries something less traditional. The South Beach woodworker will share his approach at the Newport Visual Arts Center on Thursday, Nov. 19.
Hasting has been turning wood since 2006. Though nominally retired, he runs Hasting Coastal Woodworks, where he teaches classes and operates a gallery. He works with whatever hardwood he can get, including the occasional piece of exotic wood, but prefers local species. Many of his customers are visitors looking for something made from wood sourced on the coast.
About 70 percent of his instruction is for people who have never worked with wood. He also occasionally teaches homeschooled kids. Running the gallery and teaching often go hand in hand.
“I’m a one-man shop,” he said, “so I have to be able to help gallery customers while giving instruction.”
Hasting serves as president of the Oregon Coast Woodturners, which meets monthly at his shop. He is a member of the American Association of Woodturners and a former vice president of the Oregon Woodturning Symposium, where he continues to serve on the board. His work will also appear in the upcoming Newport Visual Arts Center exhibit “From Forest to Form: Celebrating the Art and Heritage of Oregon Coast Woodturning.”
Hasting’s presentation is part of the Coastal Arts Guild’s Talk About Art program, which gives local and regional artists a chance to share their work and talk about what inspires it. Admission is free and donations are welcome.
Thursday’s talk runs from 2 to 3:30 pm at the Newport Visual Arts Center, located at 777 NW Beach Drive. For more information, email coastalartsguild@gmail.com.