September 21, 2026 – January 6, 2027
Celebrating the work of its alumni and previous Fellows “Alumni and Fellows 2026” will open at the Messler Gallery in Rockport, ME, on September 21. The opening reception will be held on Friday, September 25, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and the public is enthusiastically encouraged to attend. The exhibition runs through January 6, 2027.
The 22 works on display were selected from over 75 submissions and showcase the extraordinary talent in design and craftsmanship learned by the school’s graduates through its variety of programs. Class of 2010 Nine-month Comprehensive graduate and exhibitor Phillip Leonard says of his experience with this current build and the impact of his time at CFC: “Throughout the build, I was reminded of the school’s supportive environment, where experimentation, craftsmanship, and the development of an individual voice as a maker were equally encouraged. That influence continues to shape how I work today, and this piece represents a return to designing and building for myself.”
Jurors for the exhibition were Melissa Engler, Wood Sculptor and Teacher, from Asheville, NC, Kristina Madsen, Furniture Maker, from Southampton, MA, and Mike Pekovich, Editor and Creative Director, Fine Woodworking Magazine, from Middlebury, CT.
Alumni and Fellows participating in the exhibition are both professional and avocational woodworkers from across the U.S. They include Dotan Appelbaum (Brooklyn, NY), Eric Asche (Denver, CO), William Bellamy (Columbia, MD), Paul Bischoff (Merrimac, MA), Lanny Dean (Union, ME), Joseph Holmes (Lincoln, NE), Jinsoo Kim (Cresskill, NJ), Phillip Leonard (Chicago, IL), Peter Lloyd (Santa Fe, NM), David Messmer (Lansing, NY), Steve Miller (Black Mountain, NC), Roger Murff (Menlo Park, CA), James Nelson (Woodinville, WA), Nikki O’Connor (Amesbury, MA), Stephen Porter (Pittsburgh, PA), Spencer Roseworth (South Portland, ME), Annalise Rubida (Portland, ME), Matthew Shewchuk (Melville, NY), Stacy Tangney (Urbandale, IA), Lily Tilton (Jamaica Plain, MA), Leslie Webb (Warren, ME), Larry Zarra (Califon, NJ). The exhibitors are graduates of our Nine-month Comprehensive program, our Furniture and Turning Intensive programs, summer Workshops, and the Fellowship program.
