Welcome to Taylor Turnings

Taylor Turnings was founded by Larry Taylor, a wood turner who shapes artisanal gifts and accessories from a variety of woods in the Mid-Atlantic Region and from exotic woods from around the world. His one-of-a-kind creations include small and large bowls, wine stoppers, vases, ice cream scoops, pens, and much more!

It all starts with a piece of wood found in a field, alongside the road, or from a friend's yard. The wood is collected, turned on a lathe, a tool cuts and shapes the wood, and then stored in paper bags. Slowly, the wood's natural grains and beauty are uncovered until a piece of art emerges.

The beauty of working with wood is that every piece is different. You never know what you're going to end up with until you start turning!


Meet Larry

From the time I was a young boy, I have always worked with wood, mostly in practical forms. Studying industrial education as a teen, I used my skills to start a career in home building. I learned the names of different woods, and studying their texture, composition, and color. Soon, I began building homes, and eventually I expanded those skills to build whatever my wife and children had use for, including furniture, custom gun handles, advanced equestrian fences, boats, and much more. More recently, as an extension of my arts education, I decided to take a class in wood turning as a means to earn a living and stay busy in retirement. Much more than a living, wood turning is a passion, and a means for me to express my creativity.

While most people associate malleability with plastics and metals, I think of wood as being malleable because it can take on so many shapes and forms. So long as I'm not checking off my "Honey-Do-List," I spend my time turning wood using a 900-pound lathe I keep in my shed. Friends and family, who are supportive of my craft, collect wood on my behalf, mostly oak, walnut, cherry, and maple from around the Mid-Atlantic Region. My collection includes trees from the U.S. Naval Academy and the Maryland State House, while other pieces include some of the most exotic woods in the world, such as snakewood, pink ivory, and cocobolo wood. I draw my inspiration from the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, including Annapolis, Maryland, where I live with my wife Judy, three grown children, and grand-children. You can find me and see my work at fine arts festivals and crafts shows around Maryland and Delaware.