Many years after his grandfather (Wood Worker Extraordinaire) passed away, Matt Benson inherited a bunch of his grandfather’s 40-year-old stored and sealed logs that he’d never been able to “turn” (in bowls). Initially, Matt kept the logs with the intention of simply preserving them and saving them from becoming firewood. In time, however, Matt found his own passion and great satisfaction in creating his own wood bowls from these aged logs. 

Throughout his creative process Matt also discovered something interesting:  After turning at the lathe for any length of time, he’d notice his left pocket was always full of wood shavings. The usual spots for these scraps - ie on the lathe, the floor, or as a temporarily twirling pocket of sawdust around his project - had competition.  Matt’s discovery/awareness of this yielded no new change in “location”, however, as he found his left pocket continued to hold his artistic efforts.

In sharing this quirk of turning with his mother one day, she surprised Matt with a laugh.  She had seen this before, with memories of her father - Matt’s grandfather - arriving home and emptying the sawdust from his own pockets.  Those days were fresh again in her mind and a full circle moment for her, and for Matt.  In hearing the story from his mother, Matt thought there was “no doubt” these shavings also served as “silent endearments” from his grandfather to his grandmother…

Matt is a local craftsman who lives in Richfield, Wisconsin with his wife and children. Left Pocket Turnings represents a commitment to a time-honored family tradition of wood turning. He seeks to reveal the inherent beauty found in a piece of wood with every piece he crafts.

In supporting Matt’s work, you are a part of this celebration of his story, and of his family.