The Art of Turning Green Wood Bowls

Based in Atlanta, Sam A. Williams, professor of practice at Georgia State University’s Urban Studies Institute, is an expert in economic development and public policy. In his spare time, over 20 years, Atlanta’s Sam A. Williams has learned to enjoy the art of wood bowl turning. An early student of deceased artist/turner Ed Moulthrop's, whose works are in MOMA, many galleries and numerous museums, taught him that "a beautiful bowl is hidden in the log, you have to cut away the bad wood to let the piece of art evolve." 

When a turner prepares to make a bowl, he or she can choose to work with either dry or green wood. There are pros and cons to consider in choosing between these types of wood. Buying a dry piece of wood, especially figured or colored wood, can be purchased from wood dealers, so why do green bowl turning?

1. Green wood is much less expensive and frequently available from recently fallen trees in your vicinity.
2. Since the wood has more moisture, it can be cut easily and is an attractive alternative to new turners.
3. The turner has easier control over the creation of the bowl from start to finish using special chisels called gouges. However, green wood must be carefully and slowly dried to prevent cracking. 
4. Using wood from a freshly fallen tree preserves a part of that tree. While the wood simply decays in the forest, the bowl will last for years.

The Origins of National Economic Development Week

An administrator and educator whose work spans the public and private spheres, Sam A. Williams has served as president of both the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and Central Atlanta Progress - an organization that helped create infrastructure for the 1996 Olympics. Now a professor of practice at Georgia State University, Sam A. Williams holds active membership in multiple associations, including the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). He was a featured speaker at IEDC's international meeting in New Orleans,January 2015, where he talked about his new book, The CEO As Urban Statesman, which gave examples of cities where business leaders were tapped to solve economic development challenges. 

With 5,000 members, the IEDC is the largest nonpartisan nonprofit association that exclusively serves economic developers. The IEDC created Economic Development Week in 2016 as part of its overarching mission of economic development. 

The first Economic Development Week coincided with the 90th anniversary of the IEDC and was conceived to further public awareness of regional programs that create jobs and advance opportunities for career development. The event has since expanded to incorporate 450 local campaigns across the United States and Canada. Each of these campaigns spearheads multiple public outreach initiatives through a range of traditional and digital media outlets.