Hi Brad, Introduce yourself! Thank you for inviting me to be a featured artist on CAST team blog! My name is Brad Sears, proprietor of Brad Sears Fine Woodturning – “BradSearsWoodturner” to my Etsy.com patrons.
I am first and foremost a Christian. God has seen fit to bless me, far beyond any of my own merit, with a loving, brilliant and devoted wife, three marvelous children and four amazing grandchildren.  For that - and so much more - I am truly blessed.  I am privileged to  serve as an Elder in the Presbyterian Church and currently chair our congregation’s worship committee.

After my God and my family, wood is my passion and creative canvas.  I am a professional studio woodturner, woodturning demonstrator and teacher from East Stroudsburg, in the heart of Northeastern Pennsylvania's scenic Pocono Mountains.  Although I consider myself reasonably well versed in all aspects of woodturning, I focus primarily on environmentally friendly artistic and functional woodturnings, antique restorations and light architectural turnings (newel posts, balusters, etc.)  On the artistic side, I take special delight in crafting multi-axis lidded boxes, cremation urns (which I sell through Etsy and through funeral homes), contemporary and 18th Century reproduction candlesticks, and my “Olde Tyme” series pepper mills and coffee grinders.  My purpose in working in wood is simple:  to create beautiful, functional American craft to the best of my ability so as to enrich the lives of others and be passed down through succeeding generations.


What supplies or medium do you use? To the greatest extent practical, my work is made from local trees lost to storms, removed for construction, or destined for the woodpile.  I am passionate about preserving the environment our Lord has bequeathed to us, and uses environmentally friendly finishes exclusively.

When did you first start selling on Etsy? I started on Etsy in September 2009 as an efficient way to extend my business on the Internet.  My shop name came from who I am: a wood turner.  Plainly. Simply. Without embellishment.


What does your typical work day look like? My typical day starts around 5:00AM:  firing-up the computer and reading scripture while the machine goes through its update procedures.  After that: checking overnight email, updates to my Etsy shop, and (sometimes) processing orders.  By that time, I help my wife get ready for work, then go back and check-in on Facebook, and Twitter. A quick breakfast follows, and either to the post office to ship processed orders or down to my studio workshop.  I break around 1:00 to check email and grab lunch before heading back to the lathe.  I come up from the studio around 5:00 or 6:00 (sometimes later depending.)  Have dinner and some quiet time with my wife before going back to the computer and again checking through my on-line venues, studying designs and business possibilities.  Then some more quiet time with my wife. Bedtime comes around 10:00.

Where in the world would you be for one day?  The answer again is simple: I am satisfied with where I am today - where my God, in His wisdom, has seen fit to place me.


What is your favorite Bible verse?  From the Old Testament, the timeless dictate of Ecclesiastes 2, 24: “Nothing is better for a man than that…his soul should enjoy good in his labor” and our Lord’s promise in Matthew 6, 33 :  “But seek ye first the kingdom of God….”  As I grow older, I also find great peace in the 9th and 60th chapters of Isaiah.  I could go on, but….

What is your favorite item currently in your shop?  It has to be this one:


 A classically simple salad bowl fashioned from half of the only large red oak burl I’ve seen (the whole burl weighed over 400 pounds when the burl came off the tree), it has an incredible color and amazing grain.  Other than that, this large walnut bowl:

This posed a technical challenge because walnut is comparatively soft and vibrates on the lathe as the bowl reaches its final dimensions.  This vibration makes it difficult to obtain the smooth, even finish and “between-the-hands” feel that must be achieved before I sign my name to a piece.

Where can you be found? Give us your links, webpages, and dot coms :-) Aside from Etsy, I can be found on the web on my website (http://www.turningarts.com/), my blog – reachable via the “blog” tab on my website or directly at http://aroundthewood.blogspot.com/ , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/bradsears.woodturning , and - of course, of Twitter at http://twitter.com/bswoodturning

Please go check out Brads shop and leave a comment letting him know what you think :-)


Aaaaand congratulations to Monika from Myeuropeantouch. You are the winner of Kim's giveaway from last week featured artist (Butterflykisscrochet.) Someone will email/convo you soon for your contact info!