Our annual New Work by Faculty is currently on display in the Messler Gallery. This show provides an excellent opportunity to view the talents and skills of our instructors. This is a diverse show that includes work by 27 craftspeople in the fields of furniture, wood turning, marquetry, painting, and carving. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9-5, and Saturday 10-4, and the show will be on display through September 12th.

Our Workshop season is underway alongside our Furniture Intensive course, so all the buildings are full and bustling with activity. Staff, faculty, and Workshop assistants all work together to provide the highest quality possible experience for our students.

Our current Nine-month Comprehensive students have their work on display in the Messler Gallery until May 30^th 2018, and the pieces represent the first eight months of the program. Be sure to stop by the gallery before the end of the month to check out their impressive range of work!

Our Nine-month Comprehensive class recently wrapped up the Product Development portion of the course, where they spend five weeks intensively designing and developing small furnishings and housewares. While most portions of the Nine-month curriculum focus heavily on technique and design, Product Development also emphasizes real-world concerns such as speed, efficiency, and marketing. The students’ creativity is challenged in creating multiple pieces within a set price point, and this year’s variety included lighting, instruments, plant holders, and even coffins!

Earlier this month, I started my long journey from the northwestern shore of Lake Superior to mid-coastal Maine. I left on a sunny warm March day when the snow was just starting to melt and arrived just in time to experience two nor’easters that left piles of fresh snow in their wake. I came to the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship to be a fellow for the month of March, and to study with Beth Ireland, who teaches the 8-week woodturning intensive at the school.

With the Workshop scholarship application deadline approaching, we look back at some of our 2017 recipients and their experience at the Center. Students identify many reasons for attending our programs including fulfilling their dreams of doing meaningful work with their hands, following their passion, building their skills, and building confidence. The rewards are rich for faculty, students, and staff alike, as we broaden the Woodschool community.

Photo credit Tor Erickson