About Bradley McCalister

Bradley McCalister is a woodturner for the 21st century. He considers wood-turning to be both an ancient art and a modern expression, devoting many hours to studying his craft. Bradley honors both the “founding fathers” skill of wood-turning and the dynamic techniques of turners today around the world, incorporating wood, resin art, and hybrid combinations.

To date, Bradley has trained over 35,000 woodturners at events across the United States and has been endorsed and sponsored by The American Association of Woodturners and several major tool companies. He produces a weekly educational live stream for Spiracraft sharing his insights and wisdom.

A natural demonstrator, Bradley has worked with wood-turning clubs as a mentor and hands-on teacher. In addition, he teaches adults and children in wood-turning classes, symposiums, clubs, and private schools. Although he is a self-taught turner, Bradley passionately believes in teaching others his craft.

When asked about his work, Bradley explained that “for me, art begins with a personal vision inspired by what I see and what I feel rather than by the specific medium or technique. As a self-taught artist, I have no fear of the traditional rules or boundaries that may shackle some. Instead, I draw on deep emotion and innate ability to bring out the almost infinite potential found in wood.” Also a painter and sculptor, Bradley is influenced by modern artists, including Pollock and Picasso. His turned wood pieces become three-dimensional canvases for his coloring techniques.

In several circles, Bradley is well known to be one of the best craftsmen in the world; It stands to reason that he has a lot of knowledge to share and great stories to tell.