My name is Eli Polite. I’m a professional craftsman. My career has been in the kitchen and bath industry. I have always been drawn to working with my hands. For the past 7 years I have been exploring wood turning and trying to create my own path. I like to disappear into my work when I can find the time. One of my favorite things to do is explore the use of rare materials. I also like to push the limits when it comes to segmented work. It is not uncommon for me to spend over a year on 1 piece. Problem solving seems to be what really grabs my attention and pulls me in. What makes us all the craftsman that we are is our own style of working and exploring. I refuse to use a computer with any aspect of my wood turning and I never draw any thing out. I start with a very simple idea and slowly build off of it as I go. I don’t think I have ever pictured a finished piece in my head before it was more than half way done. This is in part because the overall shape is dictated as I build off of my initial idea. The initial idea may be something as simple as a 1″ diameter pattern to be used in a feature ring so I build that and than add to it as I go, making every effort to have it be as appealing and satisfying to me as possible. The reason I make it as satisfying to “me” as possible is simply because I do this for “me”. Wood turning is how I calm my mind and part of how I recharge my self. If the end result Is loved by others that’s defiantly a bonus. I do enjoy teaching, sharing, and demonstrating what I know when ever I have the time to do so. I’m currently working on several very time consuming projects one has been in progress for a full year at this point and may be another 5 to 6 months before it’s finished. This has a lot to do with my insane work schedule at the moment: I hope to some day have more time to invest into wood turning.
