Rebekah Gunn
Artist Statement
I create woodturned pieces ranging from functional bowls meant for serving food to purely decorative live-edge vessels. I work primarily with sustainably sourced domestic hardwoods, often beginning with logs that I process myself—from raw wood to finished form. Using a chainsaw and bandsaw to prepare each blank and a wood lathe to shape and refine it, I remain closely involved in every step of the process.
This hands-on approach allows me to respond to the unique character of each piece of wood rather than impose a predetermined form upon it. I feel deeply connected to the life and energy of the trees whose wood I use, and I approach each piece with respect and gratitude for what it once was—and curiosity about what it can become.
My work reflects a desire to honor the natural beauty already present within the material while continuing the creative legacy that began in my father’s woodworking shop. Each finished piece is a collaboration between the wood and me, shaped by what I envision and what the wood reveals.
Revealing the Spirit of Wood through Form
Artist Bio
Rebekah Gunn’s journey into woodturning began with loss, legacy, and the unexpected discovery of a new passion. In 2020, following the death of her beloved father after a long and fulfilling life, she began the lengthy process of cleaning and organizing his woodworking shop. He had been a lifelong hobbyist woodworker, and stepping into his shop felt like stepping into a part of him. As she sorted through his tools and wood, Rebekah found herself drawn to his lathe—even though she had no idea how to use it.
Determined to learn, she began attending Learn to Turn sessions with the Chapel Hill Woodturners in 2021 and was invited to become a full member in 2022. There, she fell in love with both the art and the process of woodturning. She has since studied with many accomplished woodturners through the Chapel Hill Woodturners and at the John C. Campbell Folk School, including influential instructors Matt Monaco and Rudy Lopez. She remains deeply grateful to those who have generously shared their knowledge and encouragement throughout her journey.
Through Circle City Studio, Rebekah creates one-of-a-kind functional bowls and decorative live-edge vessels from sustainably sourced domestic hardwoods. She often begins with raw logs, processing the wood herself using her chainsaw and bandsaw before shaping and refining each form on the lathe. As a woman working hands-on in every stage of the process—from felling and breaking down material to final turning—she takes pride in doing this physically demanding work herself, fully engaging with the material from the very beginning. Being involved from log to finished piece allows her to respond to the individual character of the wood and honor the life and energy of the tree from which it came.
Her work reflects a desire to reveal the natural beauty held within the wood while continuing the creative legacy that began in her father’s workshop—a philosophy captured in the words, “Revealing the Spirit of Wood Through Form.”