Roddie Pinder was born and grew up in Spanish Wells, Bahamas. His early career was with the civil service in the Ministry of Health and then as an "Out Island Commissioner." His love for woodworking lay dormant until his friendship with Mr. Edwin Ferguson - the "Nassau Top Maker".

After the death of another old friend, Mr. James Lowe, Mr. Lowe's family gave Roddie his lathe, and a new career was born. Roddie studied briefly with world-renowned wood turner Rude' Osolnik and has never looked back. His work is mainly with native woods as Madeira, Horseflesh, Cork, Cedar and Tamarind with exotic hardwoods (ebony, cocobolo, padauk, etc.) used along side, mostly for inlays.

Roddie was commissioned in 1991 by the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce to make an urn of native hardwood for each landfall of Christopher Columbus and in 1992 turned the Urn of Guanahani, which was filled with sand from the beach of San Salvador. The urn now rests in the tomb of Columbus in Santa Domingo. Roddie presently works out of his basement workshop on Russell Island, Spanish Wells. His artistic turnings have made their way into homes and collections worldwide.

For additional photos of his work, please contact us at (242) 367-0137 or peter@theconchpearl.com