Third Stampede win in a row

By Dan Singleton
MVP Staff

Award-winning Olds woodworking artist John (Jack) Smythe says he finds his inspiration in the things he sees and experiences in his daily life.

There is lots of inspiration these days and what I’ve learned is that artistic design is all around you every day,” Smythe said in a Gazette interview.

“That is the key point. It might be something in nature or I might pick up a magazine or a newspaper and see something that has nothing to do with art and I’ll think maybe I can do something with that. And some of it is your history.”

John (Jack) Smythe shows off his award-winning vessel, as well as three wooden antique oil cans he carved and also entered in the 2015 Calgary Stampede. – Joseph Ho/MVP Staff

Smythe took a first-place ribbon for his work at the 2015 Calgary Stampede Western Showcase arts and crafts competition – making it the third straight year that he has come away with a top ribbon.

This year he was awarded the first-place ribbon for his turned and pyrography (also known as wood burning) decorated vessel in the feather theme western category of the woodworking section.

The entry was also awarded second place in the overall woodworking section.

The vessel was turned from a B.C. big leaf maple tree burl, and the feathers were drawn and burned into the wood.
He explained that it took a couple of weeks’ work to complete the vessel in his Olds workshop.

July 18, 2014
Woodworking section

John Smythe of Olds had a First place entry in the 2014 Calgary Stampede Western Showcase. His turned and carved wall sculpture depicting a western theme was awarded a First place ribbon in the Western theme category of the woodworking Section.

Woodturning artist winning in his craft

Originally published in the Tuesday, August 27, 2013 Mountain View Gazette – used with permission.
Photos by Noel West, MVP Staff

Smythe's wood lathe tools

Bits used with the dentist drills

Turning a piece of wood

Carving with a dentists drill

Detailed carving

By Paul Frey
MVP Staff
Woodturning artist John Smythe is continually impressed every time he takes his lathe to a piece of wood with its different grains and colours.

“It’s like pottery in a way. You can watch it develop into shape right before your eyes. It’s intriguing, as is the decorating. Sometimes in woodturning you just turn the piece of wood into a bowl or vase or something and you don’t do anything with it because the wood itself also has a beautiful grain or character in it. Sometimes you might take a piece and enhance it,” he said.

1st place in the Woodturning class and best of show for all Woodworking entries/classes.

I had a winning entry in the 2013 Calgary Stampede Western Showcase Woodworking section. My turned and decorated butterfly vase was awarded a first place ribbon in the woodturning section and the judges awarded it “The Best of Show” for all the woodworking entries in the Stampede Western Showcase.

The vase was turned on a lathe from a native clump birch harvested in northern Saskatchewan. The 10 inch x 4 1/2 inch vase is turned thin to a wall thickness of approx. 1/16 inch. The vase was decorated with pyrography, airbrushed with acrylic paint and pierced with a high speed air powered dental drill. The vase was finished with lacquer.

2nd place in the Western theme class.

The judges also awarded second place ribbon for a turned and carved wall sculpture entered in the Western theme category.

Read about it in the July 23 Mountain View Gazette.

I’m a self developed artist. In the mid 1980’s I began a serious interest in wood turning which I continue to develop. I’m a member of the Wellspring Visual ArtNetwork Association and the Airdrie Art Society. During this summer’s Wellspring Artwalk 2013 my work is displayed at the Sundre Museum during July and August.