Margaret “Meg” Turner discovered her passion for woodturning six years ago. It began with a class at Woodcraft, a local woodworking store for professionals and hobbyists.

Captivated by the craft, she made it her main hobby and is now the liaison for Women in Turning for the American Association of Woodturners. 

Woodturning, a craft with a history spanning more than 4,000 years, transforms raw wood into unique art. From rolling pins and kitchen utensils to decorative pieces such as wooden bowls and vases, woodturning offers many creative possibilities. The process happens on a spinning lathe, where skilled artisans reveal the intricate patterns and textures that make each piece one of a kind.

For Turner, woodturning is more than a hobby — it’s a passion that clears her mind and sparks creativity.

“There’s nothing else in my brain when I’m turning. It’s relaxing,” she said. “It takes time, creativity and patience.”

The art of woodturning lies in its handcrafted qualities that machines cannot easily replicate. While automation can perform precise cuts and repetitive tasks, it cannot replace the artistic decision-making and subtle adjustments human woodturners make.

“I hope there’s room for professionals and hobbyists in light of automation and robotics. It’s an art form, and there should always be someone to do it by hand,” Turner said.

Turner grew up with six siblings in Riverhead, a suburban town on Long Island, N.Y. She attended Mount St. Mary’s College in Newburgh, N.Y., earning a bachelor’s in nursing. She later taught nursing in New York and earned a master’s in nursing from New York University.

Turner moved to Richmond in 2002. She considers Richmond home.

“I prefer the East Coast,” she said. “Richmond has gotten a lot more diverse since I moved here.”

Travel is another hobby for Turner. With her sister as her travel partner, they plan one or two trips each year. They’ve visited the British Isles, Alaska, Germany and Austria, but a safari in Botswana, her favorite trip, changed her perspective on animals.

“I was able to see the ‘big five’ in Botswana,” she said, referring to the five most sought- after animals in Africa to view on safari — lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, elephant and black rhino. Seeing them natural and untouched is so important, and we need to preserve that.”

Meet an active and gregarious woodturner who loves traveling, music and socializing, this week’s Personality, Margaret “Meg” Turner: 

Volunteer position: Women in Turning (WIT) liaison.

Occupation: Retired risk manager for St. Mary’s Hospital.

Place of birth: Queens, New York.

Where I live now: Glen Allen.

Education: Master’s in nursing education.

Family: Large and spread over the East Coast.

Woodturning is: The craft of using a wood lathe with handheld tools to turn wood into decorative forms. It has been used for years to create bowls and furniture. Most homes have stair balusters, which is a prime example of turned wood.

WIT is: A chapter of the American Association of Woodturners (AAW), an organization with approximately 13,000 members globally. Most states have regional clubs, like Richmond Woodturners, that focus on supporting regional woodturners through education and the sharing of turning processes.

WIT focuses on supporting women turners, providing a forum for the exchange of issues and ideas, and continuing the growth of its female members.

WIT’s mission: To support fellow female turners and provide a forum for sharing ideas and resources.

Why founded: It was established to address the needs of women turners. We provide a creative outlet and bring together women on a national and international level.

Founders: A group of long-term female turners who wanted to make a difference.

Number of local members: Richmond Wood Turners has approximately nine members of WIT.

Membership requirements: Any female turner who is a member of a local club is a member of WIT.

Example of a WIT project: In March of 2023, WIT implemented a wig stand initiative to help cancer patients because hair loss is a significant drawback for women. WIT created the wig stand initiative to show support for those women who fight the fight. To date, WIT has provided more than 1,960 wig stands to cancer centers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

For this initiative to be successful, the liaisons enlisted the help of their regional clubs.

Why I became the WIT liaison: It’s important to give back and I felt this initiative was very important.

Why I work with wood: It’s peaceful and creative, but it’s consuming. When I get behind the lathe, I only think about what I am doing. It clears my mind.

How I got interested in turning: I took a class on turning a bowl. The instructor explained how to move the tool to create a curve. I fell in love with the potential of the art form.

Camaraderie within the woodturning community: Any woodturner is happy to share their experience. I remember taking my Dad to pick up a beautiful furniture-grade birdhouse as a gift for my sister. The owner of the shop spent 45 minutes explaining his process for turning, showing us the techniques he used to get uniformity and consistency in his turnings.

How woodturning projects and activities make a difference: Richmond Woodturners does a demo every year at the Virginia State Fair. It is surprising that there are so many folks who stop and chat with us. The children seem very interested in the process, and it’s fun to give them a turned top at the end. 

Richmond Woodturners participated in a project by Dawn Flores called the Forest Project that addresses deforestation. Richmond Woodturners accessed a tract of land before it was clear-cut. We removed a number of pieces of wood and created beautiful pieces from an environmentally devastating process.

As part of our wig stand initiative, we delivered wig stands to the Massey Cancer Center. Based on the reception we received, our wig stands were a hit.

Where and when we meet: We have open meetings every third Thursday at Woodcraft on Broad Street in Glen Allen at 5:30 p.m. We start with a skills lab, followed by a demonstration. Everyone is welcome. We also have some production turners to duplicate or reimagine a piece. Visit RichmondWoodturners.com, for more information.

Upcoming events and details: We hold four turning challenges each year that coincide with our monthly meetings: on March 20, we share a multi-axis turning; on June 19, we create a box with finals. Later this year, on Sept. 18, we turn a live edge item, and on Dec. 18, we create from a salvaged limb.

How I start the day: I’m a positive person, so every day is an opportunity.

Three words that best describe me: Independent, energetic and willing.

Dream dinner party guest: Paul McCartney because I’m a big Beatles fan. My first concert was the Beatles at Shea Stadium.

I’d like to know his thoughts about his newer music versus the Beatles’ tunes.

Top three on my music playlist: The Beatles, Crosby Stills and Nash and Carole King.

A quote that inspires me: “Well-behaved women rarely make history” — Laurel Thatcher Ulrich.