Jim Dupler

“Indiana has some of the finest types of wood which lend themselves to my art.”

Jim Dupler

CityIndianapolis
CountyMarion
Wood
COMMISSIONS / SPECIAL ORDERS
yes
INDIANA ARTISAN STORES
carmel store

As a youngster in Jamestown, N.Y., Jim Dupler received his first lathe at age 10. As he turned wood for some of his earliest projects, he began honing skills that grew into the grain of a career spanning more than 40 years.

After Jim graduated from high school, he began crafting functional work at the furniture factory where his father, also a woodworker, unknowingly had launched a family legacy.

“Woodturning has always been my first love,” Jim says. “I learned furniture making from an old craftsman.”

That early education became the root of what grew into a successful custom furniture and antique repair business in New York, where he was much in demand at the famous “Chautauqua Institution,” as well as in Canada and Maine.

Following a move to Indianapolis in 1994, Jim transitioned into more decorative work, woodturning to create art pieces. His wood bowls, lidded boxes and other artistic forms can be functional or decorative.

“The type and structure of the wood quite often determines the outcome of the piece,” he says. “My signature piece, if I had to name one, would be the lidded boxes. These boxes take on different shapes and colors with decorative handles to complete the piece.”

In addition to his exceptional work on the lathe, Jim also turns some pieces thinly enough to be pierced using a high-speed dentist drill. This gives the surface a lace design. He then applies various dyes to complement the wood’s natural color.

With control over every part of the process, Jim ensures each piece of wood has its own character, which he develops.

He loves his craft and thoroughly enjoys teaching it to others. He teaches classes monthly at Woodcraft and is an active member of the Central Indiana Chapter of the American Association of Woodturners.

Jim Dupler Calendar

Event

Date / Time

Location

INDIANA ARTISAN SPRING MARKETPLACE
Apr 6
- Apr 7
/ 10:00AM
- 6:00PM
Agriculture Horticulture Building at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis, IN
No workshops found for this artisan.