In The Mind

[CHJ]

...snip...
When you learn to ride a bicycle, you have to remember to keep pedalling, steer the handlebars, look out for obstacles, make sure you're heading the right way, keep your balance, and probably a whole host of other tasks that I haven't identified. It's not surprising that most people keep falling off when they first try! Yet they've usually been told exactly how to ride a bike by other people. Riding a bicycle takes more than just the correct operation of a multitude of tasks - it's about bringing all these actions together as a whole.

Turning wood is about more than just cutting wood. It's about presenting the chisel, shaping, and probably loads of other aspects (which I can't describe because I'm not a turner ) . So when turners are working, I should imagine they switch off the logical side of the brain and immerse themselves into how the turning feels....snip..Gill

Gill, I think it is more to do with which part of the Brain/Nervous system takes over.

Once a dexterity 'Trick' is learnt by the Brain, I think the function moves to an automated reaction phase where the response is more to do with nerve/spinal cord/brain stem reaction than a definitive thought process.

You fall off a bike because you are having to 'Brain' process the fault and you do not apply the counter reaction quick enough.

Similarly you do not think about swinging the car steering wheel to avoid a sudden obstacle, it has become an ingrained survival action not requiring computational assessment, the fact that you may inadvertently hit something else shows that you did not spend the time computing the consequences of your reaction.

I believe the 'Feels Right' phenomenon when creating something is to do with automated response function which gives us a comfort zone to work in.

 

[Taffy Turner]

When I first started turning, I found that I had to concentrate so hard on what I was doing with the tools, that the artistic side of things was almost forgotten. I produced some very "novel" work during this phase!

As I have become more experienced, I have found that the tool manipulation is becoming instinctive, and that I can now devote a larger part of my attention to form and design, with the result that I am much happier with how my finished items look.

I still have a long way to go in this respect, as it is a sobering experience to watch a pro turner demonstrating, as they keep up a constant commentary / banter, and appear to be not paying any attention to what they are doing, until suddenly there is a finished object way beyond anything I could produce. It almost appears as they have gone so far that not only have the mechanical tools skills become instinctive, but also the creative process has almost become subconscious too.

It is also interesting to analyse how many of my senses I actually use when turning - not only my sight and touch, but also my hearing as well - this is how I tell if the tool is being presented at the correct angle, and also whether it requires sharpening or not. (And also if there is a catch looming!!!!) This is why I cannot stand having a radio on in the workshop when I am turning - I feel as if I am being deprived of one of my senses.

As Gill said, somedays I get into the "zone", where everything happens in a state of Zen like harmony, and other days I feel as if I am trying to turn a house brick with a butter knife - these are the days I give up and go and sharpen something instead, as from past experience, it is either "happening" for me or not, and it isn't going to change no matter how hard I try!

Gary

 

[Losos]

Gary,
I am just at the start in the turning department. I did a little project yesterday, like you said I was concentrating hard on selecting the right tool, using it correctly, not getting any 'catches' (Failed miserably on that ) etc. nevertheless when it came to adding some 'embelishments' I did begin to see how turning could be much more of an artistic activity than standard cabinet work.