A wood stove burns in Michael Gibson’s studio, taking the edge off the cold, windy day outside as the beginning riff of “Jack and Diane” floats through the space. It smells like green wood and the ground is covered in wood shavings and sawdust.
All around the studio, shelves are packed tight with pieces of wood, rough-turned pieces that are drying and works in progress. Gibson’s whole life has been about woodworking, from making sailboats in England, his home country, to creating extremely detailed pieces of wooden art.
“I like feeling the texture of the wood in my hands,” Gibson said. “I enjoy thinking of an idea and putting it all together from turning the wood to piercing or woodburning it.”
Michael Gibson, a local artist, turns a piece of wood on the lathe in his studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
His lathe sits behind him, where he rough turns the wood, leaving it thick. He will put it away to dry for six or more months before making it thinner and piercing it to add designs.
Some of his most detailed pieces, like the abstract structures made from detailed wooden fall leaves, can take him up to a week to finish once the wood is ready.
An abstract piece made by Michael Gibson, a local artist, is displayed on a shelf in his home on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. This piece, inspired by the fall leaves outside of his home, can be turned on different sides to be displayed differently. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
He only started doing this level of detail work a few years ago. His wood-turning hobby originally led him to begin making wooden teapots, a nod to his British heritage. When he first began the hobby, he got involved through the many wood-turning clubs in Athens and the surrounding area.
Today, Gibson's work has captured the attention of international collectors and his expertise draws students from around the world for workshops and private classes.
PHOTOS: Athens woodturner Michael Gibson at work
Light comes through the window Michael Gibson's studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Michael Gibson, a local artist, turns a piece of wood on the lathe in his studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Michael Gibson, a local artist, turns a piece of wood on the lathe in his studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago.
Michael Gibson, a local artist, picks out a piece of wood in his studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
A variety of wood sit on a shelf in Michael Gibson's studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Michael Gibson, a local artist, cuts wood as he works on a piece in his studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Michael Gibson, a local artist, turns a piece of wood on the lathe in his studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
A collection of woodworking tools sit on a shelf in Michael Gibson's studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Michael Gibson, a local artist, turns a piece of wood on the lathe in his studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Michael Gibson, a local artist, turns a piece of wood on the lathe in his studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Sawdust and wood shavings cover the floor in Michael Gibson's studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Michael Gibson, a local artist, turns a piece of wood on the lathe in his studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Michael Gibson, a local artist, sands the bottom of a piece that he rough turned in his studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Michael Gibson, a local artist, woodburns his signature into the bottom of a piece in his studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Michael Gibson, a local artist, woodburns his signature into the bottom of a piece in his studio on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
An abstract piece made by Michael Gibson, a local artist, is displayed on a shelf in his home on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. This piece, inspired by the fall leaves outside of his home, can be turned on different sides to be displayed differently. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Two wooden vases with womens faces carved out, or pierced, by Michael Gibson, a local artist, are displayed on a shelf in his home on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. Piercing designs into pieces is one of Gibson's favorite ways of decorating his pieces. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
An abstract piece made by Michael Gibson, a local artist, is displayed on a shelf in his home on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. This piece, inspired by the fall leaves outside of his home, can be turned on different sides to be displayed differently. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
A handmade wooden teapots with woodburned details, made by Michael Gibson, a local artist, is displayed on a shelf in his home on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. The teapots he makes are an homage to his English roots. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
A collection of his handmade wooden pieces are displayed on a shelf in Michael Gibson's home on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
A collection of his handmade wooden teapots are displayed on a shelf in Michael Gibson's home on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. The teapots he makes are an homage to his English roots. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
Michael Gibson, a local artist, poses in front of his work in his home on Monday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Hochston, Georgia. Gibson has been a woodworker his whole life, working on sailboats in his native country of England, before starting to turn his woodworking skills into art about 13 years ago. (Photo/Lora Yordanova, lorayphoto@gmail.com)
