I recall from my youth that many of the adult males in my family were amateur wood workers. And I remember one aunt who would be quite vocal about how much time her husband spent in his shop. He had quite the repertoire of smart answers for her, or anyone else who had similar complaints, but one that will always stand out for me was:
"You can walk with a wooden leg, but you can't see with a glass eye."
I had that quip in mind when I was recently exploring the work of the Prince George Woodturners Guild - a group of artisans who arguably practice one of the most pragmatic and functional art forms of all.
In case you were wondering, wood turning is quite simply the art of turning wood and using tools to carve or shape the wood. Woodturners use a tool called a lathe. During the pre-industrial age, woodturner's skills were often called 'the misterie' of guilds.
A skilled turner can produce a wide variety of objects, and with five or six simple tools, can do almost anything, like make furniture, create custom architectural work and produce fine art for galleries and homes.
Woodturning appeals to people who like to work with their hands or enjoy the problem-solving requirements of working with wood.
I recently chatted with Greg Clarke of the guild, who mentioned that the guild has around 20 members. I wondered how that number looked in a historical perspective and it seems that interest in wood turning is increasing, which isn't surprising to me. The message is quite the same with most artisan guilds. Younger people are returning to the tactile arts as a means of finding something real and human, in an age of digital and virtual processes and relationships.
I think it is great that these ancient crafts and skills are kept alive through the work of our local guilds such as the woodturners. Greg mentioned that it is about a $1,500 investment to get yourself started, with a lathe and necessary tools. That's not bad, considering the range of products, both functional and aesthetic, that you can make.
The guild has a special event coming up on Sept, 23 and 24. The Central B.C. Round-Up is a weekend of woodturning demonstrations with presenters visiting from the Lower Mainland. There will be a large lathe set up and four different demos per day. The cost is $120 for the entire weekend and lunch is included. To register, send Greg an email at [email protected].
During the regular season, the woodturners meet on the last Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Maker Lab at Two Rivers Gallery. Visitors are also welcomed.
You can also check out the wood turners at Studio Fair which this year is Nov. 3 - 5. The turners will have a demo set up in the lobby of the Civic Centre.
And lastly, as the arts season is just getting going, I invite everyone to consider joining one of the many fine guilds were have in town, or at least drop in for an information session. Studio 2880, the home of several local guilds, is having an open house on Sept. 29 from 11 a.m .to 2 p.m. Or, for more information on the various guilds here in P.G., visit www.studio2880.com or call 250-563-2880.
