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Greetings!
I have some exciting news. Our Santa Cruz Woodworkers group will be having its first exhibit in downtown Santa Cruz, starting next week!
Plus, I'll be teaching several woodworking classes in the new year. Read on for details.
Matt |
Santa Cruz Woodworkers
Exhibit in the Rittenhouse Building
 Santa Cruz Woodworkers is proud to announce our first exhibit - a window display in the new Rittenhouse Building on the corner of Pacific and Church, in downtown Santa Cruz. We hope to have the window display in place in time for the First Friday Art Walk, which takes place on Friday, 4 December. The exhibit will be in place for the month of December, and into January. Next time you are downtown, stop by and take a look. And let us know what you think.
Santa Cruz Woodworkers is a year old now, and 12 talented woodworkers strong. We are a collaboration of professionals dedicated to fostering appreciation for locally-produced, one-of-a-kind, handmade woodwork. We have a major exhibit planned at the Museum of Art and History for July 2011.
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Classes in WoodworkingWilliam Ng School of Fine Woodworking
Anaheim, California
I've enjoyed introducing people to basic concepts of working with wood during Open Studios and other events. Now I have a chance to teach in a more in-depth setting during 2 classes coming up in February.
February 1 -5: Music Stand: Working with Curves
 We will learn techniques for working with curves that will expand your
design and building vocabulary beyond straight edges and right angles.
Techniques will include bent lamination, half-lap joinery, sliding
dovetail joinery, and working with veneers.
February 6-7: Marquetry
 Create designs in wood! Marquetry is the art of creating imagery by
cutting and fitting thin pieces of wood together. These designs are then
veneered to a solid core to be used in making furniture or decorative
panels. This class is an opportunity
to explore an ancient art form that has many contemporary applications.
The William Ng School has a separate bench room and tool room, both spacious and well-lit. I am looking forward to these classes, and hope you will take this opportunity to register soon and reserve your spot. Find more info at the website below.
William Ng School of Fine Woodworking1340 North Dynamics Street, Unit H
Anaheim, CA 92806
tel: (714) 993-4215
email: info@wnwoodworks.com
web: www.wnwoodworks.com |
Marquetry Class
NorCal Chapter, American Marquetry Society
For those in Northern California who want a class that is more local, the NorCal Chapter of the AMS is planning a weekend class in marquetry techniques (taught by me). The class will be held in Morgan Hill. The dates have not been set yet, so those who are interested should contact Ken Horner to express your preferences. We're looking at a weekend in January.
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Did You Know?
Where Wood Comes From...
I am often asked - Where do you get your wood from? The answer is - Anywhere I can get it! My teacher used to say - This stuff doesn't just grow on trees. There is rough work, skill, and patience that goes into turning a tree into the resource that is a joy to work, shape, and polish in the shop. Generally I leave that work to the professionals, and only buy wood that is milled, dried, and ready to work.
 But not always. A recent visitor asked if I'd be interested in some trees he'd removed from his yard. Possibly, I said, what have you got? He was most interested in passing along the magnolia trunk, quite large and venerable. But it was the holly that grabbed my attention. Holly (Ilex opaca) is an understory tree that produces the familiar red berries used as decorations during the winter holidays. I suppose it also had something to do with the naming of that cinematic city down south. But most important to me is the fine-grained, cream-colored wood.
 I brought the trunk of holly home, sawed it into lengths, and milled slices on the bandsaw. These are now stacked and stickered, bound with twine, just outside the shop, where they'll age and mellow for a year or so before coming into the shop to sit some more. With any luck this holly will provide years-worth of material for use in marquetry, and maybe for some other small details as well. |
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In closing...
I have a decent inventory of the smaller, gift-worthy items I made for Open Studios this year. If you are shopping for locally handcrafted gifts this holiday season, I encourage you to visit Many Hands Gallery in Capitola, where some of these items are displayed. Or better yet, I invite you to schedule a visit to my shop.
Happy Holidays, |
Click on the picture to see more of my photos published on the Japanese website:
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