New Student Work, photography by Ingeborg Suzanne
The above photograph shows the neatly carved pull of secupera (from the last piece on earth according to JK) on cocobolo drawer front by Paul Nielsen on Evergreen Alabama. We have several student pieces in for photography, we have included a few new images below. Watch for more work in upcoming publications of Benchroom this Week and on the Alumni Pages.
If you would like to see the work in person, make plans now to attend our annual student, alumni and faculty show which takes place in the James & Britta Krenov Gallery and Gallery Five located just across the courtyard next month. For more information contact the school toll free 1.877.943.9663 or see the poster below.
JK Lectures
The Plague (actually a nasty flu) made its way through the school this past week. With many of our students and faculty away, we postponed Jim's discussion on chairs until next week. While Jim is quick to point out that chairs have never been the focus of his work, his insights into this aspect of our craft have been invaluable to our faculty and students.
Jim Krenov continues to lecture on a weekly basis. Segments from these lectures will soon be available on our website. We are very grateful for Jim's evolvement with the school. His words continue to inspire a new generation of craftsmen.
Journeyman Program
We are putting together the Journeyman Program schedule for this coming fall and spring. We are grateful to have our alumni and the alumni from the College of the Redwoods Fine Woodworking Program assist with the curriculum delivery. Each year we have had several visiting craftsman, each providing our students a fresh perspective into the limitless possibilities which exist within our craft. The above wall cabinet was made by alumni Lael Gordon of Anchorage Alaska while at the school. Lael's second piece, a whiskey cabinet was recently featured in Fine Woodworking magazine.
Resident Craftsman Program
Doug Ives from Gibsons British Columbia uses a negative template to select the materials for his applied edges for his cabinet. With his cabinet assembly complete Doug is moving onto the stand. Doug has a real presence in the shop, his wealth of experience and warm and patient nature has made him a real go to guy. We are grateful that Doug's evolvement will continue following his second year.
Juan Carlos Fernandez from Caracas Venezuela masks off for prefinishing before the final assembly of his compound curved parquetry cabinet of redwood burl, African mahogany and local fir. Juan has his hinges dialed in and in the coming days will be completing the final assemblies of his piece before moving onto the fitting of doors and the making of his stand to be made also of mahogany. Juan will be joining our faculty following the program.
Craftsman Program
Leg detail from kwila side table by Ed Tickle from Kamloops British Columbia. This is Ed's first ever piece of furniture of which the workmanship is superb. The table is based on the rio rosewood table made by JK back in 1968. Ed has a cabinet on a stand underway in shedua, afromosia and castello boxwood. The piece will incorporate many of the methods discussed so far in the second semester. Ed will be setting up shop in Kamloops following graduation.
Erik Copeland from Richmond Hill Ontario completed this bench quite a while back. The bench is based on a Danish inspired bench of which several variations have been done on number of occasions at the College of the Redwoods Fine Woodworking Program. It serves as a fine segue into chair construction. His second piece, a rocking chair in red cabruva is featuring tapered laminations and compound angle joinery in curves is currently underway. Erik is busy cutting the joinery for his chair which will receive a wrapped seat of material yet to be determined.
Matt Hales from London England completed this side table in beech and red cabruva a while back and has undertaken a rather substantial second piece. A liquor cabinet in macassar ebony and jatoba with apple interior. Matt has nearly all his veneer work completed and has moved onto the joinery. An pleasure to have as a student. Each morning, Matt arrives asks thoughtful questions, gets the answers he needs to proceed, puts his head down and gets it done!
A box in english brown oak by Walker Savage from Seattle Washington. Walker has taken on JK's silver chest as his final piece. The chest will be made of some incredible claro walnut that we picked up at Gilmers this past fall. The stand will be made of pau ferro that he and alumni Federico Mendez Castro picked up in Seattle a few weeks ago. This is a substantial final piece to begin at this time in the program. That said, students have nearly four hundred and fifty shop hours available to them prior to the show. Walker has requested to remain on for part of the summer as a Resident Craftsman in order to complete the piece while at the school. Even with limited space during our first Artisan session we are happy to make space for this fine young craftsman. Walker intends to have the cabinet ready for the show with the stand to follow.
Douglas Hagerman from Gibsons British Columbia gives his piece a once over just prior to his final assembly. Douglas and Robert recently pulled a few planks of claro walnut from our dehumidification kiln which Douglas intends to use for a writing desk based on JK's desk of Italian walnut built in 1978. While students at Inside Passage School of Fine Woodworking are encouraged to design their own pieces, they are never discouraged to remake exceptional pieces made in the past. With a strong effort to be made to maintain true to the design of these pieces.
A lovely piece of doussie, china berry, cocobolo and spanish cedar full of subtle curves and details by Paul Nielsen from Evergreen Alabama. Paul has his second piece underway, a fly tying desk of english brown oak and shedua. Paul will have his hands full completing this piece for the show however with Paul's strong work ethic and enthusiasm I am confident he will be complete. Paul will be assisting with our summer programs and completing a chair to go with his desk before heading back to Alabama with his wife Robyn where he intends to set up shop. For which Paul is already acquiring the necessary tools and machines. We expect big things from this fine young craftsman.
Daisuke Tanaka from Nishio-shi, Aichi-ken Japan completed his exquisite box of kwila, spalted beech and ash this week. The workmanship is among the best I have seen from any student. Have we mentioned that prior to attending the program Daisuke hade no woodworking experience whatsoever? This piece and others are being sent out for professional photography this week. Daisuke, will begin the construction of his bench that he will complete while he leases Brian Newell's shop in Japan over the summer. Robert will be encouraging Daisuke to make a small stool for his bench in between now and the end of the program. We are grateful that Daisuke and his fiance Mia will be joining us this fall as Daisuke undertakes his second year of study at the school.
Adam Larson from Edmonton Alberta completed this letter box in paduok a while back and has undertaken a teak rocking chair which features deceptively complex joinery of which he is dialing in as I write. Adam, Jodie and Franka will be returning to Edmonton for the summer before returning for Adam's second year of study. We are very grateful to have Adam and his lovely family back this fall. Adam's partner Jodie is a writer who will use the time to do freelance work and care for their lovely daughter. Jodie's office overlooks Howe Sound and is only steps from the water.
Dan Cearley from San Jose California completed this piece last month and has taken on a cocobolo and yew showcase cabinet which feature compound curves, pierce carvings, marquetry and glass. Dan has his laminations complete and currently has the joinery underway. Dan is preparing our lofting ducks for sand casting as an after hours project. Dan only sleeps about six hours a day, which leaves him ample time for his many side jobs.
Michael Miller from Halfmoon Bay British Columbia completed his very sweet convex, frame and panel,wall cabinet in teak, olive, london plane, ash and bocote this week and has already begun work on his final piece, a chair for the writing desk he intends to make in his second year. Michael took on the likely the most complex first piece of this years class and made everything from the hinges to the pulls. We are so grateful to have Michael's evolvement with our school.
Faculty
Craftsman & Teacher Ian Godfrey uses a negative template to assist Ed in the selection of his castello boxwood veneers for the interior of his cabinet. Ian is working on a Danish inspired ash stool which features housed twin mortise and tenon joinery.
Gary Kent Relief Craftsman & Teacher and Erik discuss the joinery for his rocking chair. Gary has a showcase cabinet in white oak underway in his shop, a commission for a long time Vancouver client. This is Gary's third year teaching at the school.
Resident Craftsman & Teacher Robert Van Norman continues to work on his chair in the afternoons. Robert is currently dialing in the coped mortise and tenon joint that joins the arm rest to the back leg which he expects to have glued up by the end of the week, before moving onto the crest rail. Robert's lectures this coming week will include Chair Making and Life after School.
Alumni
Our Annual Student Alumni & Faculty Show will once again take place at the James & Britta Krenov Gallery and Gallery Five located just across the courtyard on May 9th 2008 at 7pm. If you have any new work you would like to present for this event please contact Robert or Yvonne at the school.
We are in the process of setting up websites for each of our Craftsman Program alumni. Please forward any images or text you would like included on your web page including a biography to yvonne@insidepassage.ca
Artisan & Craftsman for Programs 2008
There is limited space available in our Artisan Programs. If you would you would like more information or would like to register call Yvonne toll free at 1.877.943.9663. Alternatively registrations may be faxed to 1.604.885.9711.
We have confirmed our first-year students for the 2008-2009 Craftsman Program. The group consists of men and women from Japan, Ireland, Columbia, United States & Canada. We are currently accepting applications for the 2009-2010 Craftsman Program.
New Program
Inside Passage School of Fine Woodworking is pleased to announce the addition of a new program at the school. The Resident Artisan Program picks up where the Artisan Program leaves off allowing graduates of our Artisan Program the opportunity to return to the school and for the designing and making of a fine piece of furniture under the direction of Inside Passage School of Fine Woodworking Faculty and Resident Craftsman.
There is limited space in this program. Currently the first session is full and we are accepting registrations for the second session which runs from July 14th to August 22nd. If you would like more information about this program contact the school and arrange for an initial consultation with our Program Director.
Updates
Students, Alumni and Faculty of the school are busy preparing pieces for our annual show next month. If you would like to attend and need accommodation please check our our fine local Bed and Breakfasts for availability. Thank you for your interest in our small family operated school.
Warmest Regards,
Robert