PHOTOGRAPHER turned wood turner Tony Boase was a remarkable man.

After a highly successful career in fashion photography, his lifelong passion for wood took over and much of his spare time was devoted to practising on the lathe.

In 1994 he started researching for his book, Woodturning Masterclass, which featured twelve of Britain's top wood turners and rapidly became a best seller. This book was followed a couple of years later by Bowl Turning Techniques Masterclass featuring a different group of artists and confirming his skills as a writer and photographer.

Numerous articles appeared regularly in the woodturning press, bringing yet more artists into the public arena.

Tony's contribution raised the profile in the field of woodturning on an international level, and his generosity of spirit proved infectious. An untimely death from cancer in February 2002 meant that many part-turned bowls and blanks were left unfinished in his workshop. He was very frustrated during the final painful months of his life that he could not carry on turning, and after his death an idea was mooted by personal friend and fellow artist, Mike Scott to pay him tribute.

Excellence

It was decided to sort through and send out to fellow artists around the world a number of pieces to be worked on and returned to the UK for exhibition.

And so - in the first collaborative exhibition of wood turners on this scale - the Tony Boase Tribute exhibition opened at Hay-on-Wye's 'From The Wood Gallery' last weekend (May 16). The work of fifty artists from around the globe sparked an immediate response when online sales came in before the exhibition had even previewed.

Proceeds from the sale will form the basis for a Tony Boase scholarship fund to encourage excellence in the field of woodturning.

The exhibition runs to June 15.