About The Woodturner      I have always been very interested in working with wood. I like to take a burl or piece of wood in its natural state, and create through my turning a beautiful work of art.      Sometimes, during the turning process, I encounter bits of stone or compacted soil in the wood, which I knock out. This results in unusual and beautiful voids in the piece. These embedded materials gave me the idea to inlay, and after trying different types of semi-precious stone and shell I now use only Sleeping Beauty turquoise. It is purchased directly from the mine to assure authentic quality.      I do not inlay everything I make - some pieces are naturally so beautiful that I add nothing to them.      When I began woodturning professionally I made my own lathe, which served me well for two years. I now have a Stubby Omega lathe, the best machine for my work.      All my work is one-of-a-kind. I love what I do, and spend many hours in my workshop. I thank you for visiting my website, and am available to take your orders.      - Chris Zema