When Paul Nowak moved to Sun City eleven years ago, his wife, Virginia, gave him a soft push to get out of the house. Though his previous passions centered on Corvettes and a career with Winchester firearms, Paul decided to join the Woodchucks Charter Club despite having zero experience with the craft.
When he admitted his lack of knowledge to the shop veterans, he says that they joked, “Good. We won’t have to break any bad habits.”
Through a process of listening, learning, and making mistakes, Nowak uncovered an unexpected creative streak, ultimately evolving from a novice into a skilled wood artist.
The first item was a segmented bowl.
Eleven years ago, not by an act of magic but one of a fledgling curiosity, Paul Nowak turned several pieces of wood into one bowl. Today, he’s perfected the art of bowl and box making, turning spare and scrap pieces of wood into intricate works of art. (Photo by Christine Such/My Sun Day News)
Nowak said, “Segmented piece bowls are made by gluing multiple, precisely cut wood segments into rings, stacking them, and turning them on a lathe. I eventually made more complex pieces. I saw a YouTube video of a ‘dizzy bowl,’ and decided to make it. Each ring has a twist, and it’s called that because it makes you dizzy looking at it.”
“I create bowls and boxes from salvaged wood scraps,” Nowak explains, considering a craft he has perfected for 11 years. His home serves as a gallery for these unique pieces, no two of which are identical. His process is entirely intuitive; rather than following a rigid blueprint, he lets the exotic grain and natural patterns dictate the form.
“I never know exactly what a piece will become,” he said. “It just reveals itself as I work. I’ve learned always to have a Plan B or C ready, letting the wood lead the way to the finished product. My favorite wood to work with, because of the wood’s rich color, is Padauk.”
Nowak’s craftsmanship shines in his bespoke boxes, which regularly feature rich velvet linings or showcase the striking grain of exposed wood. Inspired by raw materials, he finds beauty in turning scrap plywood into sophisticated, patterned pieces.
“I like using the dramatic zone lines of spalted maple or the natural character of a scrap, I let the wood dictate its final form as a bowl or box,” Nowak explained. Following a “less is more” philosophy, he creates hinged, treasure-chest-style boxes, frequently employing dovetail joints and decorative splines to add both sturdiness and beauty.
When asked about his favorite piece, he gestures toward a handcrafted box.
“That’s what I’m being buried with,” he explained.
The wood was salvaged from a 100-year-old table someone brought to his shop to discard. Fascinated by its fine inlays, he accepted the gift and painstakingly repurposed the antique timber into its final, most personal form: a vessel that will one day hold his ashes.
Nowak frequently gifts his unique, one-of-a-kind creations to family and friends. He often supports local causes, most recently the Huntley Rotary Club, by donating bowls and boxes for silent auctions. Each piece is a true original, bearing his distinctive signature burned into the base.
Beyond smaller art pieces, Nowak has furnished his own home with custom-built tables, though he still aspires to build an oak dining table. For those looking to start their own journey, his advice is simple: “Everyone has a creative side; you just have to find it. And if you try woodworking, don’t give up.”
