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Clinton News-Record, 1975-03-27, Page 13tonr, two Seco!,Section Clinton, Ontario 110th Year ..'o: 13 Thursday, March 27, 1975 .- � ec. it , �A ,� '� �' A w i .uT'�.' /LA / J�"' • Ilr'' 'IIID / Plumtree of Clinton Cra ts o jackand Catheiinebrotheranare in much demand exhibition, -1. his fingers intertwined John (Jack) Plumtree of Catinton yellow herine around histcrossed legs as he talks. does wood -turning; Ca Plumtree does needlepoint. Five A man with a ready smile, he isn't years ago this October, brother and much of a talker, but length about e sister pooled their talents together did speak and his wood -turning. and made their first footstool. himself Twenty footstools , later, the Mr. Plumtree is dressed in his Plumtraes find their supply of working uniform, concists of a resemblance footstools cannot keep up with the hat that bears aslight public's demand for them. to a train engineer's cap, and a A layer of sawdust carpets the soiled tan smock whish covers his little room at the back of a garage on street n lothes. Glenavon, Saskatchewan, Albert Street that serves as Mr. Plumtree's workshop. The smell of the 66 -year-old Mr. Plumtree moved wood hangs heavy in the air, and all east with his mother and sister kinds of chisels adorn the walls of during scarce, the so ., awhen an opportunity s what' used. to be a bakery. apprentice to a Plumtree sits in a straight-backed came around to app Clinton barber, Mr. Plumtree took said his first' big show He eventually came to open his was in Carlow, north of Goderich. He it. days has attended various craft shows own shop and his barbering since.then. Among the more grew into 30 years-. A bad heart andt• bad nerves forced him to retire ifl h Clinton1963, but instead of restini, Mr. Plumtree began to spend more of his time on his hobby - woodworking. "I always liked tinkering around with things," he said. Mr. Plumtree began repairing old furniture and bought himself the little shop he now occupies. furniture uts ads into various paper in need of repair, and has come to build up quite.a clientele. Antique dealers provide Mr. Plumtree with 75 percent of his repair work. His workmanship has been engaged by dealers in Stratford and Galt, and by word of mouth, his reputation grows day by day. Most of the antiques brought to Mr. Plumtree have been rediscovered in attics ad barns and ns to range from grandfather large chests of drawers. ndDany where ending on the job, he will p from a half hour to a day and a half restoring an object. M tree will just about repair anything, but he said that he wouldn't touch "the odd piece of junk" that is beyond restoration. Through his furniture repairs, he came to try his hand at woodturning. Working with a lathe and chisels, Mr. Plumtree began turning out egg cups, candle holders and small vases. "Last year my income was evenly divided between furniture repairs and wood turning," he said, but this year he is doing more repair work which he firi'ds to be the more challenging of the two. Mr., Plumtree works with walnut, because he says it is the finest quality wood available. He Halloo works with cherry and occasio Y maple. He first exhibited his work six or seven years ago 'A couple of girls, one a potter, and the other an artist, bought a school up north near Blyth and began teaching crafts. I had done some work for them,' and they in- vited me to exhibit some of my wood -turnings at their craft show." Mr. Plumtree, who display between 60 and 70 pieces at an memorable ones, he men ions Spring Show Day at the i Arena, Port Credit, and Bolton, north of Toronto. He used to cover about six craft shows during the summer, but he is finding he is short of time in making enough things for so many exhibitions. Mr., Plumtree is now limiting himself this year to two - Clinton, and Saltford (formerly Carlow). Most of his sales have been transacted in his shop, and though he is happy in his inconspicuous location, Mr. Plumtree said he wouldn't mind a shop that opened out onto the main street. He prices his own merchandise, taking into account themany hours he has spent on his craftwork. An egg cup costs $2 to $3, and the most expensive item, the footstool, sells 'for $75. This is where Mr. Plumtree's sister Catherine, his junior by two years, enters the picture. Miss Plumtree, who' has always knitted and crocheted, took up needlepoint in 1970. While recovering from a cold, she read a book on needlepoint and became so interested in the craft that she or- dered herself a beginner's kit. "I began making needlepoint pictures to show off John's round picture frames," the small soft-spoken, Miss Plumtree said. "Later on, he began making footstools to show off my needlepoint. it's surprising how well we compliment each other's work." Miss Plumtree is quick to point out that her brother's Work is all originally designed. "Mine may be beautiful, but the beauty and design has been done by expe-ts," She finds the best market for her needlepoint along with her brother's wood -turnings. Two of the Plumtree footstools have made their way to England and Scotland as wedding presents, she said. Most of their footstools have been sold to people who originally came to Mry Plum- ' tree's shop looking for something else. Along with her footstools, she also displays her knitted goods. "I was displaying a dress and jacket that I had just complgted for myself, when a American woman made an offer to buy them. She hadn't brought enough warm clothing with her and •wanted the outfit so badly, she paid (continued on page 4A) in a back A sign, hand -made by Jack himself, hangs alevidence of Jack's wwhere some of the behind Albert Street. It is the�only visible turned out. finest wood crafts in thispa It takes many hours of turn a stick of wood into a fine piece of furniture but Jack has the patience and the knowledge. Here he works at one of his favorite tools, the wood lathe. tedious, loving labour to siorg 14Intis‘ hots by Jim Fitzerald Jack dis la s a few of the 40 -bannister spindles he is turning out to duplicate proudly playin Cnton. u licate the originals of a staircase in an oldehome iitate them perfectly. tedious, h they are not made out of the same wood as the originals, they There aren't enough words available to describe the duality and fine workmanship that goes into each and every piece of • -work that Jack turns out. Pictured above are Just a few of the -Mal walnut items that Jack makes. They rage from flower vases to egg cups, to candle holders, and salt and pepper shakers. All are unique items. • Although Catherine's ne0dlepoIat May be taken from someone etse's design, it shows as Feat a talent as any original work would. later needlepoint on Jack's footstools has found its way to • the United Kingdom where it was given as a unique wedding present. Because it is just a hobby; Catherine dislikes -taking orders for her work. 444