Tom Raymond

Born in Winslow, Maine, Tom Raymond began turning wood in high school when he bought his first lathe in 1949. Woodworking has always been a part of his life. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering from Maine Maritime Academy.

He began his professional career as an Engineer for the Sun Oil Company, and continued in the US Navy. Tom finally settled in Connecticut in 1960, employed by Terry Steam Turbine Company. He was soon promoted to Chief Test Engineer. He fine-tuned his engineering skills when he began working at Hartford Steam Boiler as Chief Instrumentation Engineer in 1987. His natural talent and aptitude for precision and accuracy served him well throughout his 35-year engineering career, in addition to enhancing his skills as a fine craftsman.

After retiring and moving back to Maine with his wife Shirley in 1995 and remodeling his home, Tom renewed his interest in turning wood when he began building his own furniture. He upgraded his workshop with high quality turning equipment and tools, and began turning segmented bowls, using as many as 16 different kinds of wood.

The contrasting wood colors in the segmented designs are unique, making each bowl a functional work of art. They can be used for anything except food. They are finished with 5 coats of polyurethane gel followed by wax. For cleaning, a damp cloth is recommended. All the bowls are serialized and logged in his computer system.

In the year 2000, Tom joined Maine Woodturners and served as secretary for 17 years. He is a member of the American Association of Woodturners. In 2002, Tom was recognized as an artist when he began showing and selling his bowls at Archipelago in Rockland, Maine. Other galleries showing his work include Saltwater Artists Gallery, in Pemaquid, Maine, as well as galleries in Connecticut: Celebration of American Crafts (New Haven), Gallery 53 (Meriden), Puffins Shop (Mystic), Trove (Mystic), Gray Goose Cookery in Westerly, Rhode Island, and in New York, Grand Bazaar NYC. To date he has turned over 1200 pieces.