Phil Brown is surrounded by wood. He's converted his entire home into a studio: lathe in the two-car garage, wood stacked on the patio, one bedroom set up for sanding and polishing, kitchen covered with bowls awaiting lacquer. Finished pieces eventually find their way into the living room gallery.

If he's not inside turning a bowl, Brown is probably out in the woods with a chainsaw. He cuts most of his wood from storm-fallen trees or ones displaced by construction. He slices into each trunk, searching out pieces with a lively grain or burl, taking only the wood that stands a chance at making it all the way to the living room.