TOM SCHIELD
ABOUT
Tom Schield’s woodturning creations show his respect for and love of nature’s breathtaking beauty. He preserves the wood’s unique character and personal story in each piece. Skillful turning on his lathe reveals its periods of hardship, stress, healing, and flourishing growth. Tom’s interest lies in understanding the personality of a particular wood and letting it tell its own story. Trees narrate the history of their environments, and Tom expertly teases out their secrets.
SPECIES OFFERED
GALLERY
Over the years Tom has created numerous works of art as well as wooden utility items for family, friends, and lovers of wood. Take a moment to view Tom’s Gallery and should one of these special pieces catch your eye, don’t hesitate to contact Tom to create that “custom” work of art or utility item for your home or office.
DIXON FAMILY FARM
In the fall of 2021, Tom Dixon, a family member of Tom and Nancy, commissioned Tom and Bear Valley Trading to create 50-60 bowls from the Walnut and Osage Orange trees on the Dixon Family Farm. Unfortunately, these beautiful trees were imminently slated for destruction due to new highway construction. So Tom happily drove to Kansas to retrieve the gorgeous trees.
And so began the journey of those trees from the Dixon Family Farm in Kansas to the Bear Valley Trading workshop in Colorado.
Bear Valley Christmas
In November 2022, Bear Valley Trading participated in the Colorado Country Christmas Show in Colorado Springs, Colorado. ​
Tom presented turned bowls, weedpots, and platters of numerous sizes and shapes made from beautiful woods. Additionally, Bear Valley Trading offered a variety of finished wooden Christmas ornaments - gnomes of many types, icicles, and paintable gnomes people could take home for a family holiday project. Their booth was buzzing with attention and Christmas cheer the entire weekend.
IN PROGRESS
Tom is continually accessing his wood inventory turning bowls, weed pots and platters. During the drying process he periodically monitors all items for moisture content in preparation for final turning and finishing. Seen below is a glimpse of items in the drying process as well as those ready to finish.
