Ron Martel
The Yankee Woodturner
Ron Martel’s hobby of woodturning quickly took up a significant portion of both his and his wife’s home square footage. That’s when Ron decided to allow us the opportunity to take his amazing creations to our homes. Ron also said he’s a dog lover, graphic designer, avid target shooter (he makes his own ammo), drummer, step-dad & grandpa!
Originally published in market manager Mitch Cohen‘s column Art Valet in THE LEADER
When Ron Martel first introduced himself to me a couple of years ago, he was scoping out my market. He said as much, as he looked around. I remember Martel peppering me with questions as he gave the market a side eye. That first meeting makes me laugh now, having gotten to know him the past 2 years, and his dry sense of humor.
Martel’s art medium is wood and he calls his company The Yankee Woodturner. When he set up his black canopied tent emblazoned with the very famous canon with the words “Come and Take It” underneath, I knew then I liked him.
What’s your background?
“I’m a retired police officer from New London, CT, I met my future wife at Dunkin’ Donuts (of course),” Martel said. “We moved to Kingwood, TX., where we could buy a bigger house in a nicer neighborhood. We traded snow shoveling for hurricanes.”
How did your art journey begin?
“I started woodturning as a hobby after my wife got me a lathe for Christmas in 2019,” Martel said. “After filling every tabletop, countertop and desktop (including the laundry room) with my projects, she put her foot down and said I had to get rid of stuff before I made anything else. So I started selling at markets.”
Where are you now with your art?
“I’m expanding from the standard bowls, vases & urns to include wall hangings, clocks, lovebirds/bird baths, and other mixed media art.”
What’s next and where to find you.
“I’m a regular participant at 1st Saturday Arts Market and The Market at Sawyer Yards,” Martel said. “I occasionally sell at The Kingwood Farmers Market, just to stay close to my roots. My website offers a “here’s what I do” view. The pieces there don’t reflect my current inventory, nor can one buy from me online. My Instagram shows my current work. People can and have contacted me there to buy recently posted items.”
What guidance would you offer to a budding or novice artist?
“Find your own voice,” Martel said. “Be open to new influences, but don’t copy them. Incorporate them into who you are as an artist. If you don’t need the money, congratulations! You can make art for the sake of art. Otherwise, you’ll have to find what prospective customers want. I straddle that fence – I make most of my pieces with art as the objective. These pieces take a while to sell, because they don’t speak to everyone, but eventually that person comes along that just has to have it. I’ve also started making household items that people can actually use. They appeal to a wide range of customers, and are good sellers.”
Anything wild and crazy that would raise eyebrows?
“I was a competitive bodybuilder on the local circuit (Northeast US) from 1976-1984,” Martel said. “In 1979, I attended the Mr. Olympia contest in Columbus, OH as a spectator. My hero, Robby Robinson, came in 4th place. At a diner after the show, I was complaining to a friend how I thought Robby got ripped off. A guy in the next booth agreed, and said he was good friends with Robby. I thought he was BSing me, but I just kept nodding my head as if I believed him. My friend and I eventually left the diner, starting to walk back to the hotel, when we heard a voice yelling toward us from behind. Suspecting a drunken fool, we kept walking. The guy following us was the “friend” from the diner. He said he had just gotten hold of Robby on the phone, and was heading over to his hotel room, and asked if I’d like to go. Suspecting a trap, I kicked his ass and took his wallet. Just kidding. He took us to Robby’s room, where we spent the most memorable 90 minutes of my life shooting the breeze with my bodybuilding idol and his wife.”
