Ronald E. Kent

Ron Kent (American, b. 1931) is one of the American pioneers of studio wood turning. He began turning wood in his forties when he received a toy lathe as a Christmas present. His first piece was made from a piece of driftwood found on the beach and formed with a sharpened screwdriver. After producing primarily bottle and egg forms, Kent discovered the ultimate expression of his talent in bowls made from Hawaiian Norfolk pine. The unique spalting and knots of the Norfolk pine are on extraordinary display in Kent’s translucent bowls, an effect he enhances through the process of repeatedly oiling and sanding the wood. Kent was born in Chicago and earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from... more.