St. Pete artist creates wooden whimsy in every piece

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Beth Ireland is a nationally renowned educator, sculptor and woodworker who calls St. Petersburg home. 

She is known as a woodturning specialist who takes on large commission jobs. 

Beth is currently making 50 exterior balusters for the front porch of a customer in Gainesville. She also teaches woodworking and woodturning around the country, including at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. 

"That’s kind of what I do for a living, but what I’ve always done on the side is art and sculpture. I’ve always taken my scraps and turned them into objects," Beth says.

Beth Ireland woodworking

Beth makes a lot of string instruments. 

"I love the shapes. I feel like the stringed instrument is really a stand-in for the human figure," she says. 

Beth says crafting the instruments is the perfect collection of all the skills she’s learned as a woodworker. 

View samples of all her work and contact Beth at bethireland.net.

Beth Ireland Woodworking