Bill Lepak

I have been woodworking for over 30 years. I started with cabinets and furniture, but in
2019 I discovered green turning. I haven’t looked back since, discovering a new passion for the
craft.
Every tree has a story. From the mightiest oak to the most elegant spruce, decades are
kept within their wood. When a tree falls, whether by nature, disease, or man, most would say
that its story ends, but not me. Every tree has a story, and my goal is to help it keep telling that
story.
Recovering fallen trees from the greater St. Louis area and Midwest, I turn logs into
unique bowls, perfect for a centerpiece, display, or even food. I use the once turned technique.
I turn the wood to the final shape and size while the wood is still green. As they dry, the wood
tells its story, moving and distorting of its own accord. Sometimes the bowls even crack during
this process, just another piece to their long histories. Once the bowl is fully dry, I then finish
them with texture, paints, and other techniques. Though two bowls may begin in identical cuts,
this drying process ensures each bowl is unlike any other. Each bowl is marked with the type of
wood, date completed, and the city it was made in.
Build out the history of your home or office today with a bowl sharing its own history.