Guest Faculty for 2009
Adrian Ferrazzutti: Chair Making & Design July 6-10, 2009
Inside Passage School of Fine Woodworking is pleased to announce our guest faculty for 2009. Adrian Ferrazzutti will be teaching Chair Making & Design July 6-10, 2009.
Personal Website
Fine Woodworking Magazine Profile
Don't miss this rare opportunity to study with one of today's finest craftsman & designers. Early registration for this program is recommended. If you would like more information or if you would like to register please call Yvonne toll free at 1.877.943.9663
JK Lectures
We are honored to have Jim's continued commitment to our small school. Jim continues to lecture once a week. His inspiring words continue to inspire a whole new generation of craftsman. In addition to delivering his weekly lectures he has acted as an advisor to the school since its inception.
We will present excerpts of his lectures from this years Craftsman Program available in beginning in the next edition of Heart Hand & Eye.
Journeyman Program 2009
Jason Klager: January 19-31
This will be Jason's third session as a Journeyman at the school. Jason is a fine craftsman who builds exquisite furniture out of his northern British Columbia shop and specializes in marquetry. Jason will join us during mockups as second semester pieces are underway.
In addition to impeccable craftsmanship Jason also posses a very complementary design aesthetic giving our students the opportunity to have additional design and construction input. This is very in keeping with our schools un compromised approach to craft. Jason will also teach the marquetry component of our program.
Jacques Breau: May 4-16
This will be Jacques second session as a journeyman at our school. Jacques is a fine craftsman who builds fine furniture out of his shop in New Brunswick.
Jacques has an exceptional set of hands and a wonderful way with people. We are delighted to have him return to assist us at a very busy time of the program where our students needs are at their highest.
Resident Craftsman Program 2009-2010
Inside Passage School of Fine Woodworking is proud to announce the first of two Resident Craftsman Program students selected for the 2009-2010 school year. Eric Deklavs from our inaugural year will be joining us for a second year of study next fall when taking part in our Resident Craftsman Program. Erik and his partner Hillary drove all the way from Vernon British Columbia to join us for our new Gallery opening a last week.
Dovetails of Alaska yellow cedar in a subtle curve, Erik's first piece at Inside Passage School of Fine Woodworking. Erik's is one of the finest craftsman to come out of our school and is an equally fine man. Erik and Hillary are a couple who's support for one another is as evident as Erik's un compromised approach to our craft.
Introducing our Students & Faculty for 2008-2009 Craftsman Program
This year's class consists of men and women from Japan, Ireland Romania, England, United States and Canada. Here during the first two weeks they are only beginning to become familiar with their first hand made planes and learning the intimate relationship which exists between the wood, the tools and the maker.
Michael from England joined us just a few weeks after the birth of his son. Michael's family will be joining him in a few weeks. Michael was a photo journalist in his past life and first heard about our school while working in Columbia. I am so grateful for the many sacrifices made by our students to join us.
Barb from British Columbia Canada first visited us for our last open house and show at which time she applied for this years class. She is staying with family just down the road from the school. In watching her work over the past few weeks it is clear that she has the dedication this craft requires and deserves. We are grateful to have her join us for the beginning of her journey in craft.
Fergal from Ireland arrived in Roberts Creek with his young family and experience working wood. I was delighted to here that he has not only heard of but was a regular reader of the column by John Brown, the welsh chair maker who recently passed away at his home in Wales this past summer. Ironically enough Fergal is a fine writer and I have enjoyed very much reading the writing on the bathroom wall this fall. Fergal's wife Elayne and children Eoghan and Maedhbh are frequent and most welcome visitors at the school. We are very grateful to have very special family in our community for the coming year.
Grig from Romania completed the Artisan Program this past summer. With this years Craftsman Program full Grig had submitted an application for next falls program when we had a last minute cancellation He has returned to Romania to tie up lose ends before returning in a few weeks. We are very grateful to have this fine young craftsman back with us for our long program. Grig is a perfectionist which I am sure was appreciated in his former life as a dentist.
Jody from Ontario Canada first visited us during our annual Open House and Show and submitted his application shortly thereafter. When he sent us pictures of the fine kayak he recently made using many tools which he made himself I was convinced he was a wonderful fit for our school. Jody shows a strong sense of community and always willing to help one of his fellow students or the school. He helped Yvonne a couple of days in the gallery and with school preparations for the Craftsman Program. We are very grateful to have he and his partner Marguerite join our small community. Marguerite has joined an elite group of partners who continue to carry the other end of the plank.
Already a very skilled craftsman, Yosuke from Japan will be joined by his young family in a few weeks. Yosuke has been very gracious in sharing traditional japanese woodworking skills with our students and faculty. This past week I was given the opportunity to use his beautiful smoothing plane on a piece of alaska yellow cedar. The iron was made by one of Japan's finest blacksmiths who lives in a village a few hours away from Yosuke's home in Japan. I am very grateful to have this fine craftsman join us for a year of study. As a craftsman and teacher it is not only our jobs to teach, but also to learn.
Neil from British Columbia Canada completed our Artisan Program in 2007 and has been working two jobs for the past year to allow him to take the year to immerse himself in our craft. Just one of many students who with their families have made personal sacrifices to join us. Neil has spent the last few years in University and is discovering and enjoying the many subtleties of our craft and working with his hands. We are very grateful to have him with us.
Craig from Minnesota United States completed our Artisan Program in 2007. Craig has joined us along with his wife Carol who has been taking full advantage of our beautiful fall weather. She is a weaver and was able to borrow a loom from the partner of one of our alumni while she is here on the coast. While Craig was here in 2007 not only did he complete each of the exercise and did them well but took full advantage of bonus hours completing several optional activities. I have been very fortunate to have had so many beautiful people and fine students at our school. I am delighted to have Craig and his lovely wife Carol here for the coming year.
I first had the opportunity to work with Steve from Ontario Canada a few years back while teaching in Ontario. I was delighted when he visited the school this spring where I realized his intention to join us for our Craftsman Program. Already a fine craftsman, Steve will use his time here to refine existing skills and develop a new set of skills and explore our sensitive approach to our craft. I am grateful to have this fine craftsman with us as begins a new journey here at Inside Passage School of Fine Woodworking.
Hannah from England completed our Artisan Program in August, applied and was accepted into next falls Craftsman Program. We had a second last minute cancellation and we are delighted she made the decision to join us. Her parents joined us for Artisan Graduation where we learned of her fathers stash of Andaman Paduok. Her father has given some of this to Hannah who will be carefully using this wood which is no longer available for one of her student pieces at the school. She is a sculptor with an established and developed aesthetic and strong aspirations to learn our craft. All of us at the school are very grateful to have her back.
Derek from Manitoba Canada is a fine young man with almost a spiritual desire to learn our craft. During the first week of the program he had to use one of our student tool kits until has own tools arrived. Derek received the experience of setting up two sets of tools and the school and future students are grateful for the razor sharp tools. Derek is entering a very new and exciting chapter in his life and all of us at here are grateful he selected our school as a starting point in his lifelong journey of learning our craft.
Nick from Minnesota United States completed a two year college woodworking program prior to arriving at our school. Nick arrived at the school with a number of tools he has made including a couple of fine planes. I enjoy watching him go to his faithful plane made of osage orange to cleanup the surfaces of his new plane. A place where his hands fit his plane, where changing hand position to make his work easier and ultimately more efficient is an easy transition, done almost without having to think about it.
At our school we do not ignore the place of machines in our work. Instead we encourage our students to discover a sensitive approach to our craft where our eye is more important than any measuring or layout device. Where our hands and maybe intuition become effective and even more efficient than machines for completing daily tasks presented to us at our bench. I enjoy watching him each morning walk in the wood room revisiting planks hoping for perhaps a new discovery or glimmer of inspiration.
Brad from Alberta Canada brought down a home made apple blackberry pie at the end of the day before the Craftsman Program began. A sweet man and a already skilled woodworker. He has very good hand skills and is making the transition from being a carpenter look easy.
When you care about your work like many of my students and I do, we are are faced with the pressures society has on us as craftsman. Our students will soon come to the crossroad where they will ask themselves. Am I willing to do whatever it takes to work wood in this way. Live modestly but well in a beautiful pace making beautiful things for people I enjoy. For some of my students it has been easier than for others.
As craftsman it is our obligation to educate our clients and in order for it to have any impact on our society. We as woodworkers collectively will need do a better job marketing our work. It would hurt me to see fine young craftsman like Brad to have to return to carpentry when he graduates. Spread the word Heart Hand & Eye Gallery will soon be filled with more furniture by aspiring young craftsman. Furniture that you can live with and will be content knowing that it will be passed along for generations.
Jason from North Carolina United States visited our school with his father this past school year and submitted his application. He was accepted on the spot. For the past year Jason has been studying with Gary Rawlins in Asheville North Carolina. Gary is a graduate of the College of the Redwoods Fine Woodworking Program. Jason arrived a few weeks early with his fiance Corey. The partners of woodworkers really are an understanding and supportive group of individuals. Jason brought some wood with him reminding me you can never have too much wood. Jason's dad gave him a copy of A Cabinetmakers Notebook and the next thing he knew he was off taking a plane making class with David Fink another CR grad. When David passed along the name of our school they decide to come and visit. We are very grateful to have Jason join us.
Resident Craftsman Program
It gives me great pleasure to announce the return of Resident Craftsman Daisuke Tanaka from Japan. Daisuke spent the summer in Brian Newell's shop making a finely crafted workbench. Daisuke has already hit the ground running. He has already begun parting out the material for JK's writing desk which he has decided to make for his first piece as a second year student at the school. The piece is to be made of a couple of sequenced matched planks of swiss pear and while a dream to work can be a very unforgiving wood. This we know will not be a problem for one of the most skilled students to come out of our school.
While the parts for his desk have had a chance to settle Daisuke will be taking part in a new component of the Resident Craftsman Program. Second year students will now spend two weeks designing and making of a small piece of furniture, in this case a run of five meditation stools which will be sold in our gallery. Our school is donating all the material with all proceeds going to setup a student scholarship fund available to any students in need of financial assistance to attend our Craftsman Program.
Resident Craftsman
Resident Craftsman Doug Ives completed the renovations at the school including the trim, drywall and painting. Doug has two commissions underway after which time he will return his attention to his latest piece an exquisite piece made of afromosia, zebrano, wenge and Port Orford cedar. Doug has been working and collecting wood for over thirty years and we are grateful to have him back (still here) at the school.
Faculty
Resident Craftsman & Teacher Juan Carlos Fernandez and shop dog Chi Chi. Inside Passage school of Fine Woodworking is very proud to introduce Juan Carlos as our afternoon teacher during the Craftsman Program. In addition to teaching Juan Carlos maintains a bench at the school where he continues to work at his craft. His latest piece is currently part of our opening show at the gallery. It will be going out to be photographed in a few weeks at which time we will be posting images of this finely crafted and rather complex piece.
Relief Craftsman & Teacher Gary Kent with Juan Carlos then a student discuss the design of Juan Carlos's last piece as a student at Inside Passage School of Fine Woodworking. We are very pleased to have Gary back for his fourth year of teaching at our school. Gary continues to make furniture out of his shop a short walk from the school.
We are very pleased to have Craftsman & Teacher Ian Godfrey return for his third year of teaching at Inside Passage School of Fine Woodworking. Ian teaches Saturdays at the school and makes furniture out of his shop just down the road from the school. Ian is days away from the completion of his latest piece a walnut rocker with leather upholstery. This piece will soon be available for purchase in our gallery. I stopped by his shop last week. The workmanship is impeccable. just what we have come to expect form this fine young craftsman and teacher.
Resident Craftsman & Teacher Robert Van Norman with then student Ian Godfrey during an assembly of Ian's second piece as a student at Inside Passage School of Fine Woodworking.
After seven years of teaching full time, Robert will be returning to his bench this fall and teach half time. There are many factors that have allowed this to happen and I have many people to thank. Our students, faculty and alumni for there on going support. My partner in life and work who's vision has allowed our school and I to begin a new leg of our journey.
Candid
Always willing to lend a hand, Jody takes his turn under the dust collector cleaning the bags.
Brad uses a cabinet scraper to clean the surface of his bench on a beautiful fall afternoon.
Alumni
First Elephants was held at the Gumboot Cafe. We were joined by alumni, faculty, family and friends to welcome our new students.
At the opening of the gallery Yvonne neglected to thank someone dear to all of us at the school. Since its inception Bruce has always been willing to lend a hand. He is a tireless member of our community who has done to many things to mention for us at the school. We were sick when she realized the oversight. Thanks Bruce for all that you have done for Yvonne and I and our small school.
Facility
Our wood room with log of Chinese Elm. The Elm will soon move into our dehumidification kiln making room for more wood, adding to are already impressive inventory of fine woods.
a quiet Benchroom at 6:25am the morning of our first day
Machine Room the very same morning
Heart Hand & Eye Gallery
Currently Showing
On Saturday September 13, 2008 we celebrated the grand opening of our new gallery.Our school is very fortunate to have such a dedicated group of alumni. On behave of Yvonne and I we would like to extend out a warm thank you to all who attended.
Yvonne just minutes before the doors opened. Yvonne has basically taken over the daily operations of the business allowing me to focus on teaching and my own work. This summer she has put in countless hours in preparation for this day. I am so grateful for her vision which has set the school on a new path facilitated by our desire to invest in our student, alumni and faculty's success. In addition to our student work Heart Hand & Eye Gallery will present selected work of local artists.
Next Show
Our Annual Student Show & Open House takes place on December 20th. Open House will take place from 1-5pm at the school. The show will take place in our Gallery from 7-10pm. If you would like more information or assistance with finding accommodation, contact the school toll free at 1.877.943.9663.
Artisan, Guest Faculty & Craftsman Programs for 2009
We are accepting registrations for our Artisan and Guest Faculty Programs for 2009. 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 are currently accepting applications for the 2009-2010 Craftsman Program.
Artisan Program Schedule for 2009