My name is Ward Garrison. I taught Industrial Arts at Wentzville RIV High School, Wentzville, MO from 1969-1999, when I retired. My BSE was received from Central Missouri Sate in Warrensburg, MO. I earned a Masters Degree from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO in 1976.

In 1985 I attended a seminar in Gatlinburg, TN and was one of the founders of the American Woodturners Association.

In 1986, along with 7 other woodturners, I took a weeklong class with Dale Nish, who is known world wide for his woodturning skills and is an author of several books. He was the one who introduced me to turning green wood.

Woodworkng and drafting were the main courses I taught. My one State Champion Woodworker’s project was a turned walnut vessel. My school woodshop had 5 wood lathes, which my students loved.

Since I have retired I have built 2 hot rods and 2 custom motorcycles, plus many many woodturnings. Almost everthing I have turned the past 3 years have been natural wood, as opposed to gluing wood pieces together. The worm eaten, decayed, spalted wood is of most interest to me. Every piece is different and unlocking it’s beauty is extremely exciting. I have also painted designs on some pieces of Western red cedar and added inlays in other plain grained woods