Mark Hazelden
05-03-2011, 2:21 PM
Bob Rotche had asked in a previous post about my recent class at the Folk School.
So I thought I would share what I got out of it.
I took a week long course during the Scandinavian Week with Franck Johanneson instructing and Kevin White assisting. We all turned something Scandinavian, in my case an ale bowl, and then it was a woodturning free-for-all. Our class of 8 varied in experience from never turned before to intermediate. Franck or Kevin seemed to show up at our lathe just as we needed their help. We all turned from 9AM to 9PM only breaking for lunch and dinner. I more than doubled my total time at a lathe that week.
The environment in the woodturning studio was wonderful. Here was a group of people from all walks of life with only one thing in common, wanting to learn. I commented that the same group of people at a party or professional conference would probably not get along. There was something about the school that brought people together. I observed this in every class I visited that week. I imagine the same thing would happen if a group from this forum got together for a week. I spent the week pushing myself technically and creatively into areas I never knew I could go. I turned my first 2 hollow forms in the class.
The maximum class size for woodturning is 10. The lathes are beautiful Powermatic 3520s. The food was incredible. I chose to eat on campus even though I live locally. The location of the school is in the mountains of North Carolina and is beautiful. The instructors and type of woodturning being taught varies each week and scholarships are often given as prizes at various symposiums. Did I mention that the food was incredible? :)
If you ever find yourself in the area, please look me up. I live just down the road.
Mark
So I thought I would share what I got out of it.
I took a week long course during the Scandinavian Week with Franck Johanneson instructing and Kevin White assisting. We all turned something Scandinavian, in my case an ale bowl, and then it was a woodturning free-for-all. Our class of 8 varied in experience from never turned before to intermediate. Franck or Kevin seemed to show up at our lathe just as we needed their help. We all turned from 9AM to 9PM only breaking for lunch and dinner. I more than doubled my total time at a lathe that week.
The environment in the woodturning studio was wonderful. Here was a group of people from all walks of life with only one thing in common, wanting to learn. I commented that the same group of people at a party or professional conference would probably not get along. There was something about the school that brought people together. I observed this in every class I visited that week. I imagine the same thing would happen if a group from this forum got together for a week. I spent the week pushing myself technically and creatively into areas I never knew I could go. I turned my first 2 hollow forms in the class.
The maximum class size for woodturning is 10. The lathes are beautiful Powermatic 3520s. The food was incredible. I chose to eat on campus even though I live locally. The location of the school is in the mountains of North Carolina and is beautiful. The instructors and type of woodturning being taught varies each week and scholarships are often given as prizes at various symposiums. Did I mention that the food was incredible? :)
If you ever find yourself in the area, please look me up. I live just down the road.
Mark