Marguerite Montalbano comes from a graphic arts background. Since childhood, she has been involved and interested in all art forms. As an adult, she made her living as a successful graphic artist.

In the late 1990’s and on the edge of retiring from the graphic arts business, Marguerite enrolled in a furniture making class. While working in the wood working shop, she noticed another student totally engrossed in using the wood lathe. She became fascinated with the pieces that were being produced. In short order, she borrowed a small lathe from a friend and began teaching herself woodturning.

After nine years of lathe work, Marguerite has produced many traditional pieces, but in the last two years has come to find that surface decoration on her pieces has become her focus. She uses texture, carving, sandblasting, coloring techniques and more to enhance her pieces.

Originally from Los Angeles, Marguerite has lived for the last 13 years in Encinitas, CA, where she maintains a small studio.