Our Visiting Artists program invites highly accomplished, professional woodworkers on campus to explore innovation in their work. Visiting Artists share the 6,800-squarefoot Thomas Miller Jackson Building with participants in our Fellowship program, for whom they act as informal mentors. In addition, they enrich the experience of students and faculty in all programs through lectures, critiques and daily interaction.
Workshop season is full of JOY here at the woodschool. Mondays are one of my favorite days of the week as students arrive with the excitement and anticipation of their first day of class. For some this is a bucket list experience, for others a career enhancement, a curiosity, a continuation of a lifelong hobby, or a new exploration. Whatever it is that brings them here, our students are given a week or two filled with instruction on new skills or ideas to percolate when they return to their respective homes. From beginner to advanced, from traditional skills to the technological advancements of today, the workshop curricula is rich with valuable content each week. When I walk through the classroom I see smiles of satisfaction and accomplishment from both newly discovered skills and complex problem solving. It is my joy to see these smiles of our students while they are here on their woodworking holiday.
Our summer twelve-week Furniture Intensive is drawing to a close, and the workshop is a flurry of activity as students work long hours to complete their projects before leaving campus. It is a great time to take stock and reflect on everything the students have accomplished over the last couple of months.
Last week Garrett Hack was teaching here at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship for the twenty-first consecutive year. Garrett is an engaging and deeply knowledgeable instructor, and his week-long workshops here in Maine are waitlisted year after year. We are truly lucky to have him. Thank you, Garrett, for all your years here at the CFC!
Our annual New Work by Faculty is currently on display in the Messler Gallery. This show provides an excellent opportunity to view the diverse talents and skills of our faculty. This is a diverse show that includes work by 29 craftspeople and such treasures as a cabinet with 23 drawers (some hidden!), a rotating speaker cabinet, and several instruments. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9-5, and Saturday 10-4, and the show will be on display through September 13th. We hope to see you in Rockport!
It has been a busy few months in the Fellowship since our last update in April. The summer is always a busy time in the Fellowship, and the long hours of sunlight seem to translate into long work hours. Since April, the program has seen a number of CFC alumni pass through, as well as Center instructors.
Furniture Intensive assistant Adam Howell shows off his essentials: ear protection, notepad, and (empty) cup of coffee. Our hardworking assistants are often graduates of our Furniture Comprehensive and Furniture Intensive courses, and their positions on campus give them the opportunity to share the skills they have with current students, as well as develop new ones. From changing a bandsaw blade to making a dovetailing jig to teaching an out-of-towner the best way to crack a lobster tail, the workday of an assistant is endlessly varied.
