{"title":"Richard Raffan","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI began to turn wood in England in 1970 at the age of 26 and after a successful career in the London wine trade.  I was never a hobby turner.  When I decided to turn wood for a living late in 1969 I knew nothing of the craft other than it involved a lathe and tools with long handles. I reckoned that if I enjoyed the craft all I had to do was develop\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003egood technical skills and marketing, and I’d earn a decent living selling what I enjoy making. And that that’s what I’ve done since mid-1970, first in England, then, from 1982, Australia. Being the only turner juried into The Craftsman’s Art, a seminal exhibition in London in 1973, was a great boost to my career.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1970 I had to create a market for the one-off bowls I inevitably produced as a novice, but after two sales trips I got repeat orders. I was turning utilitarian bowls, scoops, and plates that sold to kitchen, gift, and souvenir shops; and I also sold a lot of delicate bowls, scoops, and boxes to gift shops and craft galleries. I never needed to consign work and that’s why I’ve seldom had work in American galleries. Moving to Australia in 1982 was risky business-wise because I had to start over in a new environment, but fortunately that didn’t take too long.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI began teaching formally in 1978 when Highland Craftpoint, in Scotland, employed me to advise embryo craft businesses in the Highlands and Islands. Apart from that I did very little teaching until I became a regular presenter for Dale Nish at the Utah Woodturning Symposiums in the 1980s; then demand took off after my book and video\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eTurning Wood with Richard Raffan\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewere published in 1985. Subsequent books and videos increased requests for me to lead workshops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter nearly\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eforty years of production turning I opted to spend less time at my lathe and spent a couple of years creating\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewhimsical little boats and other stuff using wood and found objects.  Now in my mid-seventies I still turn a few bowls and boxes, do the occasional demonstration and symposium, and contemplate building a tacking proa when snooker, tennis, and cycling allow. — \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.richardraffan.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Richard Raffan\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eRichard Raffan\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0411\/4487\/7221\/collections\/centerforartinwood_richard_raffan.png?v=1596765579","url":"https:\/\/museum-for-art-in-wood.myshopify.com\/zh-tw\/collections\/richard-raffan.oembed","provider":"Museum for Art in Wood","version":"1.0","type":"link"}