j. ruel martin

For Georgia woodturner J. Ruel Martin, finding his artistic path was a gradual process.

A self-taught craftsman, he began with furniture and cabinetry, building his skills as he acquired new tools and techniques. Over time, he found himself drawn to the sculptural possibilities of wood.

A former pastor, Martin views his work as a way to showcase God’s creativity in forms meant to be appreciated for generations.

Artist: Born in Rome, GA, Martin was raised in Cartersville until he was 14. His family then moved five times in four for his father’s work.

After high school, Martin planned to pursue a life in ministry. He earned a BA at the Florida Baptist Theological College, Graceville FL.

He then pursued a MA degree at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY.

While working as a pastor for nearly 20 years in Alabama, southern Indiana and Austell, GA, Martin slowly developed his many woodworking skills by reading articles in Fine Woodworking and turning vessels on a lathe, through trial and error.

At the time, his focus was on building cabinets and furniture as well as doing interior trim in houses, installing high-end kitchen cabinets for many kitchen and bath designers in the Southeast.

Seven years ago, Martin started working as a full-time woodturner in Acworth, GA, where he lives and maintains a woodshop and an artfully designed gallery space.

Art & materials: Wood vessels of varying shapes and abstract wall art created on a lathe.

Vessels ($100 to $5,000-plus).
Wall abstracts ($10,000 to $25,000).

For his projects, Martin uses various woods from locally sourced dead, diseased and downed trees.

“A favorite of mine for wall abstracts and for vessels is Hackberry,” said Martin. “Because of the way that micro-organisms create their own sort of art within this wood through a process known as spalting.”

Influences:

Edward Moulthrop, the self-taught woodturner in the Atlanta area, who taught and practiced architecture from the Atlanta suburbs.

“His shapes influenced me to some degree, but even more the epoxy finish he used later in his career,” said Martin. “I loved the depth of that finish and the sense of permanence in the pieces he created.”

The works of both Philip (Ed’s son) and Matt (Ed’s grandson), also world-class woodturners.

Recent project: A wall abstract, created with Spalted hackberry, Sugerberry, and stained sourwood, for a new home in Panama that overlooks the ocean.

Recent exhibits: Atlanta Art Fair and the Chicago Art Fair (October 2026).

What’s next: Palm Beach Fine Art and Antique Show, West Palm Beach, FL, Feb. 12-16.

What’s new: