Might I just wax poetic about my recent conversation with beloved local artist Malcolm Tibbets…what a fine gent he is, really a true gentleman in every sense of the word. As I review my many pages of scrawling notes from our 45 minutes together on the phone, I realize that my interviews with artists for these articles often cover a whole lifetime of their achievements. I appreciate how open and forthcoming they are in talking with me.
In Malcolm’s case, he took me back more than 70 years, with a wood-working tale from when he was a preschooler. I should tell those who are not familiar with his name that he is a world-renowned segmented wood turner. Say that three times fast! You may know his three huge circular pieces that have been in front of the CoWork Tahoe (old Tribune building) for years after being displayed at Burning Man. They are named “Orderly Tangles.” Perfect description.
Now let me tell you about the fascinating life of this very cool man. He grew up 1,000 feet from his Grandpa’s house, who was a woodworker. Malcolm built his first birdhouse at 4 or 5 years old. He started making furniture at his first home in Tahoe because he didn’t have enough money to buy furniture after buying the house. Oh, here is where I must tell you, he and his wife Tere celebrated 50 years of marriage in April, and he speaks so lovingly about her and their amazing family. He started working on Ski Patrol at Heavenly in 1971, then served as vice president for quite a few years, ultimately retiring after the fifth ownership change.
I continue to meet people who talk about working for him at Heavenly back in the day – he certainly is a legacy to that mountain.
Now these are his exact words: he found a “crappy” book on Woodturning in the 1989-90 timeframe. He basically created his own method and style of working with exotic wood pieces, coming up with unique, one-of-a-kind tools to help him build his magnificent creations. He then published his own book on his highly specialized craft, and self- published a couple of other books, including one on his trek on the Appalachian Trail. Oh my goodness, this man just gets more and more interesting as we chitchat. I remind him of my two experiences with him from almost a decade ago: we had Tahoe Art Walks (although you had to drive) once a month at various galleries and businesses from the Y to Stateline. It so happened that Malcolm was having a book signing event at Marcus Ashley Gallery on that Saturday, formerly the location of Neighbors Bookstore, which had very much promoted local authors like Malcolm (and where I had a Baby Book Registry 21 years ago, to grow a library for Baby Joey Gomez). My friend Bridgette and I gussied up to hit the Art Walk, most eager to go to Marcus Ashley Gallery to meet famed artist Malcolm. We walked in and immediately saw him surrounded by five or six adoring fans, all older men who obviously had come from far and wide to meet their hero. Malcolm was so gracious, including us in the conversation, of which we knew nothing about, except for the fact that his pieces on display were something we had never seen the likes of before. He is truly a wood carving magician. I wanted to buy his gorgeous coffee table book back then; now I can afford the splurge this summer at Studio Tour!
I was super excited when I heard Malcolm was going to be a speaker at our local TEDx Talk back in 2019. His lecture was titled “Making A Difference With Art.” And guess what, he did not talk about his woodworking craft; I was blown away by his words, stories and command of the stage. A consummate professional through and through. Check it out on YouTube, and his YouTube channel can be found HERE.
Malcolm tells me that the best art statements make a difference. His passion stemmed from making that first birdhouse, and it just keeps evolving. He’s really the first segmented wood-turning expert, and his 2005 book opened so many doors. He received invitations from all over the world for demonstrations in Ireland, France, and New Zealand. He humbly tells me, Who the heck knows about segmented wood turning?? Well, collectors know his work! In fact, his biggest collector is in a high-rise in Hong Kong. Just Google his name to see his exquisite and intricate creations. Genius.
Regarding his experience in the international art world, he told me, It’s been a great time! And he goes on and on about his family, son Andy, who is famous in his own right for massive metal sculptures and installations at Burning Man, and grandson Abbott, the next-generation up-and-coming artist, stellar student, and skier.
Come meet Malcolm Tibbets this Thursday, July 16, at Tahoe Art League’s Monthly Mingle at 5:30 p.m. Mingles are always free and open to the public. TAL Gallery is located at 3062 Lake Tahoe Blvd, next to the Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum and the Senior Center.
Malcolm is also participating in Studio Tour again this year. You will see his backyard studio and workshop! Unbelievable creations for sale. Stop by Tahoe Art League Gallery for a map of Studio Tour, then hit Malcolm’s home as your first visit!
More information on the Studio Tour can be found HERE. It is Friday, July 31, through Sunday, August 2, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
-Michelle Gomez, Tahoe Art League
