Keith Rueckert Works

R. Keith Rueckert was born in the dairy country of Clear Lake, WI.  After college he settled in Michigan.  While visiting a friend in Atlanta, GA in 1964, the contrast in weather extremes persuaded him to relocate and make Georgia his home.  He met his late wife there; marrying her in 1969.  Both his father and step-father had been building contractors. Thus, it was natural that he would migrate into that field as a builder of single-family homes. 

During his years in Atlanta, Keith developed an appreciation for the works of Ed and Phillip Moulthrop – well-known father and son woodturners from the Atlanta area. His admiration of the beauty of the wood in the bowls they created grew into a desire to one day try his hand at woodturning.

Keith retired to Gilmer County in the North Georgia mountains in 1998. With time on his hands and a need to “supervise” something or someone, his wife gently reminded him that it was time to pursue that wish.  After taking a one-day lesson from a fellow Turner, purchasing a lathe and a few tools, he was on his way to a very satisfying hobby that turned into a profession

Keith's long experience working with wood in his business gave him a deep appreciation for the various grains, textures, and colors.  Most all of his creations come from trees on his own acreage that have died or been felled by nature's will. Other wood is obtained from friends in the tree removal businesses who watch for trees that have distinctive color and/or grain with unusual knots or burls.  Fungus growth -- known as spalting -- will cause unique flaws, cracks or patterns in the wood as will the insects that commonly inhabit the trees.  What may appear to be a rotting log to one is a challenge and inspiration to the woodturner.  The defects of nature give him an opportunity to make each vessel truly one of a kind.

When Keith is asked to duplicate a certain piece, he responds: “no two pieces of wood are alike.  Each one offers to me its unique character which I attempt to define through form and expression.  While some ventures wind up as fuel for the fireplace, I find deep satisfaction in the process.  The end result may differ from what I envisioned at the beginning.”

Over the years Keith has received numerous awards and ribbons from juried shows all over the Southeast and his pieces are in collections around the globe.