When a tree falls somewhere on Oahu, the Honolulu Woodturners will know about it. Tom Young, secretary of the club, gets the word through an islandwide network and blasts out a “wood alert” to the hundred or so members, all of them eager to salvage the wood and make something beautiful with it.

Their handmade wood bowls are on view in the 14th Annual Honolulu Woodturners Show at Nohea Gallery now through Sept. 15. Each year, gallery owner Laurie Baron reorganizes the store’s space, adding new pieces to those already on display. “These woodturners are the heart and soul of our gallery,” Baron said. “They make fine things, and it’s such a joy to share their work.”

Elegant, original bowls of every size, shape and color grace the small gallery space. There are bowls made out of locally grown and imported woods, including elm, koa, kou, lychee, macadamia nut, mango, milo, Norfolk pine and primavera. Some are embellished with geometric and linear motifs; others are undecorated, simply letting the wood grain show to its best advantage. There are nested bowls with natural edges, small bowls with smooth, careful finishes and abstract, unique bowls in experimental shapes.

Larry Rodrigues, a core member of the club, has been turning wood for 40 years. “I’ve never sold a single bowl before,” he said. “I always donate them to friends and family.” His bowls are unadorned yet elegant, without any patterns or carvings.

Some of Rodrigues’ pieces are included with works by other artists in a special selection positioned at the center of the gallery; proceeds from the sale of these bowls will be donated to Family Promise of Hawaii, a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding jobs and sustainable housing for homeless families.

A humble and generous attitude prevails throughout the club. “I have a hard time calling myself an artist,” said Andy Cole, a club member and an instructor at the Honolulu Museum of Art School. “People do artwork on bowls, but for me the artwork is already in the wood.” His nested bowls speak to his approach: The natural, jagged edges and unique grain patterns belong to the natural milo wood and have an organic, authentic beauty.

The complex process of wood turning requires serious skill and knowledge. Most people begin by cutting the original wood piece in half and then use a lathe — a machine that rotates the wood — and bowl gouge tools to shape it. Specific wood species can change shape and color according to their thickness and moisture. “For example, macadamia nut and lychee wood splits and cracks quickly. You have to work with it right away,” said Cole.

With some species, such as mango or Norfolk pine, you can purposely change the coloration of the wood by letting a fungus grow inside the tree in a process called spalting, he added.

The Honolulu Woodturners club was founded in March 2000, and for an annual fee of $25 members meet every other month to share their craft. They often hold challenges to encourage each other to create something outside the box. “We also hold demonstrations because we like to see chips fly and give each other pointers and tips,” said Young.

Viewing this exhibition, one quickly understands that a bowl isn’t just a bowl for these devoted individuals, each of whom has a unique approach to carving out a piece of wood. Their shared dedication to their community craft is the real beauty of this show.