SOFA Chicago

[Mark Hubl]

Did anybody go to SOFA Chicago?? My wife and I attended on Saturday. The weather was outstanding and the show was great. I had never been to this show before. We spent over three hours there and really only focused on the wood sculpture and furniture. It was great to see pieces by the "stars" of turning up close and personal. We were able to meet Molly Winton, the Weissflogs and William Hunter. The Maloof exhibit was very nice as well. For those that have the chance to attend a SOFA event I believe it is well worth it.

The gallery that had the most wood artists was del Mano Gallery. http://www.delmano.com/artists/index.htm. Check out their site, the lists of artists is great and you can see a lot of their work.

[charlie knighton]

no, but thanks for the link, it may take a while to look at everybody, i just spent 1/2 hour and only looked at the turner's that i had name reconition, i had met some of them but had not seen their work, i am even more tounge tied now :eek:

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

I was there Friday to see my friend's display at the Delmano Gallery.
There was a lot less Galleries represented this year than last. Last years show was much larger & had many more turners present at the show.
However considering how depressed the High end Art market is this year it's understandable.
At the time I was there the Delmano Gallery had Very Few pieces that were actually sold yet. Although William Hunter had sold one $35,000 piece. & Bihn Pho had sold several of his Glass pieces.
It's still kind of fun to go see the High End Big $$$ Wood Art.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Sounds like it would have been quite the show to attend! Had to have been very inspirational!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Sounds like a great show to attend.

[Mark Hubl]

Well I am sorry to here that the show was smaller. Most things are these days. There were some things selling on Saturday. I saw quite a few red dots on pieces. I think this means they were sold. Some of the prices are amazing though! A couple purchased a smaller Ellsworth trio when I was looking at it. The show was great fun and very inspirational. Luckily my wife wasn't crazy about the glass. Would have to sell the house to buy a piece!

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

Well I am sorry to here that the show was smaller. Most things are these days. There were some things selling on Saturday. I saw quite a few red dots on pieces. I think this means they were sold. Some of the prices are amazing though! A couple purchased a smaller Ellsworth trio when I was looking at it. The show was great fun and very inspirational. Luckily my wife wasn't crazy about the glass. Would have to sell the house to buy a piece!

Ya I know what you mean.
The most expensive piece I saw there was a glass piece priced at $450,000. And yes the red dots do mean the piece has been sold.

[Steve Schlumpf]

$450,000??? Maybe I should start turning glass!

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

$450,000??? Maybe I should start turning glass!

That's just what I thought too!!:eek:
The Show was held at Navy Pier only a few blocks away from where Ophra lives, maybe they were hoping she'd come along & buy it:D

[Richard Coers]

I was there on Friday, my second year in a row. Besides the grief of a charge of $27 for parking, I loved the show. I didn't think it was a lot smaller than last year, maybe just a row or two. I sure felt out of place looking at those prices, but I was really inspired. I have noted that "finding your own voice" has been the mantra of the woodturning world for years now. I saw a lot of the same "voices" this year as last.
I had to think that all those students attending on Friday must have been real impressed with the prices of the art. Maybe some of them will be inspired to remain artists instead of lawyers. Too bad so many of them will be starving instead of making a living. Part time artist, full time food service industry, will need to be their direction. Sigh!