Here, you can learn a little about some of the folks I’ve dropped in on...and some of the folks who have visited the Saws ’N Dust shop here in SE PA. I hope that you’ll make an effort to visit with other woodworkers, too. It’s been very rewarding and a whole lot of fun!
Click on the thumbnail photos
for a larger view in a separate window!
7
April 2002: One of the highlights of our New Mexico and Arizona
road-trip vacation was sharing brunch with a number of Phoenix Arizona area
woodworkers who participate in the WOOD ONLINE discussion groups. Alison and
I really enjoyed the meal and the fellowship. Interestingly enough, most of
the participants had never met each other in person, although all had been
interacting online for some time. A great big thanks goes out to Dave Falkenstein
for making the arrangements at Mimi’s for the event, too!
Dave
Malen has visited my shop a few times in the past few months to chat about
dust collection and other woodworking topics. A teacher & administrator
in the Philadelphia School District, his woodworking serves as a great outlet
after a hard day...and the quality of his work is awesome. Several of the
pieces that grace his home feature hand-cut dovetails and incredible figured
lumber in their construction.
Dave’s basement shop is equally impressive with a well-thought-out
layout and plenty of light. He also has a dedicated finishing room that permits
use of just about any kind of finish without affecting the living environment
in the house above. He recently added a cyclone and external cartridge filter
to his dust collection system and it’s pretty efficient from what I
can see.
Richard
visited the Saws ’N Dust shop in December of 2002 while traveling on
business. We had been communicating occasionally and he realized that his
business meetings were just nearby. After the “tour”, we talked
about his baby cradle project and and turning activites as well as the Shaker
style round stand I was working on at the time. (turned post and partially
completed legs in the forground)
Jill
is an out- standing turner with an outstanding story--so much so that Martha
Stewart’s Magazine recent devoted three pages to her. This Bucks
County PA resident and mother of two offers bowls and vessels crafted from
reclaimed local timber, often with engraving or coloring that enhances their
beauty.
Jill still studied with the renowned wood turner and teacher the late Palmer
Sharpless. She has been marketing her work via the Internet in addition to
several craft shows in which she regularly exhibits. Repeat customers are
common--once you have one of her pieces in your collection, you want more!
[Click here
to access her website]
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An important stop on our Spring 2002 New Mexico and Arizona vacation itinerary was just north of Prescott Arizona. Fellow WOOD ONLINE D-Group host Phil Brennion’s home and woodturning shop is located there in a beautiful setting. Surrounded by interesting mountains, this laid-back area is perfect for an artisan to live and work. For those of you who are not familiar with Phil, he’s a principle with a great artists’ cooperative in Prescott, a busy teacher in turning and sculpture, a noted woodturner in his own right and serves on the board of directors of the American Association of Woodturners.
Phil and I spent a few hours in his well-organized shop (he’ll smile at that description...) making a very nice section of box elder log look more like a Native American southwestern-style vessel--one of Phil’s specialties. If you’re interested in some of Phil’s work, you can see some online at the Kestrel Creek site or visit the Arts Prescott Gallery in Prescott Arizona. Below, you can see some pictures of our time together during my visit.
Copyright © 2002 Jim Becker. All rights reserved.