Wood Turning Center
October - December 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Up Front - Annual Appeal for Support
A message from Albert LeCoff, Executive Director of the
Wood Turning Center
From the locality of your computer, you can make things happen... globally...
In 2009 the Wood Turning Center enters its 23rd year as a non-profit focused on education, preservation and promotion of the exciting evolving field of wood art.
Never have the challenges of running a nonprofit (or a household) in the face of the global slump looked so huge !
Whether you are an artist, collector, curator, ITE resident, teacher, student, trustee or wood turner - we need you - to support the spirit and content that the Center's programs and web site bring into your life.
First - the Board of Trustees thanks you for your ongoing membership support and donations. Membership, grants and contributions made all our 2008 programs possible.
Now we ask you to include the Wood Turning Center on your SHORT LIST for the end of 2008, and if your membership has lapsed to renew before the year is out. Your personal short list launches 2009... AND tax deductions.
Help us finish matching our $125,000 challenge grant for 2008 from an anonymous foundation.
Help launch these programs for 2009:
Challenge VII: dysFUNctional Exhibition Tour
to art museums and university art galleries
Art of Opening: Corkscrews and Bottle Stoppers
Selections from the Collection:
Donations by Bruce Kaiser & Joe Seltzer
2009 International Turning Exchange (ITE) residency
allTURNatives: Form & Spirit 2009 (ITE exhibit)
Hands on wood turning classes for area schools
These endeavors, based in Philadelphia, reach out globally.
Please bring your friends into the fold to expand the Center's circle of friends. The trustees and the staff thank you in advance, and we hope to see you at many wood art events in 2009.
Best wishes for the new year.
Albert LeCoff Donate on-line here:
Mail in:
Wood Turning Center
Attn: 2008
501 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Call in: 215-923-8000
|
JOIN US FOR THESE FUN EVENTS !
Saturday, December 13, 2-4 pm
Gallery Talk
 Challenge VII: dysFUNctional exhibit and book
(through January 17, 2009)
Sculpture, photos and installations tease and explore all aspects of function and dysfunction. The artists film, glue, laminate, layer, nail, notch, photograph, sew, and turn wood and other materials into serious and humorous visions. Participating are thirty (30) artists from Australia, Canada, England, France Italy, and the US. The exhibit tours the US through 2011. Exhibition catalog available here at www.woodturningcenter.org/shop
Friday, December 19, 4 - 7 pm
DAVID ELLSWORTH Exhibit and
Annual Members Meeting
 David presents a gallery talk about his work and signs his new book,
Ellsworth on Woodturning.
Reception and Annual Meeting
Holiday discount on handmade gifts in the Museum Store
ITE SELECTION COMMITTEE MEETS SOON -
They will select the 2010 and 2011 residents for the Center's International Turning Exchange
STAFF NEWS
Suzanne Kopko Moves On...
Thank You and best wishes to Suzanne who moves on after 3 years as the Center's multi-skilled Director of Exhibitions and Collections. You've probably received some of the thousands of emails, letters, loan forms, CDs and packets she has sent to artists, collectors, curators and friends over the years. During her tenure, Suzanne implemented electronic organization of the Center's exhibits, incoming photographs and the permanent collection - major miracles with lasting value. She also trained a series of interns from regional universities, and provided guidance and broad expertise to contractors, graphic designers, haulers, installers, photographers, web masters and staff members. In the process, Suzanne became a great ambassador for wood art and we will miss her.
Welcome to Ron Humbertson
Ron will be the Center's new Exhibitions and Collections Coordinator. A fairly recent transplant to Philadelphia from San Francisco, Ron comes to the Center with training and experience in museums, galleries, collections management, and nonprofits. We hope you will welcome Ron as he takes over the Center's varied exhibitions and collections programs.
PUBLICITY FEATURES CENTER
American Craft Magazine - a Spring 2009 issue will feature Philadelphia, including the Center. Photographer Adam Wallacavage already completed the photo shoot.
Local TV Education Channel features Ron Kantor's CD
CONNECTIONS: Sweet Possibilities and Grave Self Doubts
which he produced for the Center in 2005.
Channel 35, WYBE- Thursday, 12/18/08 - 10 pm- Saturday, 12/20/08 - 9 pm- Sunday, 12/21/08 - 1 pm New York Times Style Magazine - Design Fall 2008 - Caroline Tiger's article, A Fine Philly (Philadelphia), included the Wood Turning Center, pg. 70. Photo by Joshua Lutz.
HONORS
Fleur Bresler, art collector and advocate of Rockville, MD, was awarded a Special Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts from the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Maryland. She was also honored by VisArts of Rockville MD for her lifetime of involvement in the arts. VisArts is a nonprofit specializing in contemporary arts and classes that Fleur and Charlie helped fund and build. The Center donated 200 books to the special gala in Fleur's honor. Fleur was president of the Center's Board of Trustees for five years. Congratulations Fleur !
OPPORTUNITY FOR WOOD ARTISTS
Entry Deadline 01/26/2009
Pittsburgh's Society of Contemporary Craft will award its prestiguios Raphael Prize in 2009 to...
The Society of Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh will award its prestigious Raphael Prize next year to an artist working in wood. Here is the prospectus for the award and accompanying exhibition. Please forward this to artists working in wood who may be interested in applying.
Raphael Prize Prospectus
International Events Wanted
Do
you know of any wood art events going on in your part of the world?
We'd love to know about them so we can share the information with our
members. Please reply to this email with the relevant information. Thank you for your help.
- the Turning Points staff |
Winter Book Sale
 The Center's Online Museum Store is pleased to offer you a 20% discount off one book order placed this winter. Simply enter the code "WBS" during checkout to receive your one-time discount on any size order before 12/31/2008.
New publications now available:
Challenge VII: 
dysFUNctional (WTC, 2008)
The Center's newest publication documents this ground-breaking
exhibition. It captures the whimsy and imagination of the artists, in
a delightful design by award-winning designer, Dan Saal, who designed
Gord Peteran: Furniture Meets Its Maker.
Order here
Ellsworth
on Woodturning:How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots, and Vessels Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. 2008 Color pages and text discuss creativity, shapes, green and dry wood,
tools, sharpening, chucks, and anecdotes and body ergonomics. Order here
New Masters of Woodturning:
Expanding the Boundaries of Wood Art
By Terry Martin and Kevin Wallace
Fox Chapel Publishing Company specializes in books of interest to fans
of wood arts and the associated crafts. Large color photographs and
artistic bios highlight the bullet pace of new work.
Order here
Judson Randall reviews this fine new book:
Jud Randall's Review
A Marquetry Odyssey:
Historical Objects and Personal Work
By Silas Kopf, Hudson Hills Press © 2008
Profuse photographs and encyclopedia-scope knowledge make this a
milestone coffee table book. Kopf covers marquetry in timeless cultures
(i.e. Egypt, Greece and Rome , France , England , Austria ), stylistic
periods, and specific masters through time. The illustrations include
Kopf's distinctive work and (unbelievably!) a how-to section !
Order here
| |
Events Calendar 2009
SAVE THE DATE!
Saturday, March 28th, 2009 - 7:00-9:00 PM
The Cruise Ship Terminal, Philadelphia Navy Yard
Craft Furniture Philadelphia: A continuing legacy
Gala and Special exhibit at the Philadelphia Invitational Furniture Show benefiting the Wood Turning Center, The Wharton Esherick Museum and The Legacy Fund of the University of the Arts Wood Program.
We will be celebrating the pivotal role of the Philadelphia area in the post-World War II craft-furniture renaissance with a party, talk and special exhibit.
Mark Sfirri, wood turner and professor at Bucks County Community College will give an illustrated talk on the many contributions made by area artisans to the development of studio furniture. His talk will be followed by comments from Mira Nakashima of George Nakashima Wood Studio and Bob
Aibel of Moderne Gallery. Bob Aibel will be curating a special exhibit featuring the work of Nakashima, Esherick, Jackson and other regional masters of the genre.
There will also be a special exhibit of work by area High School Students curated by Don Miller of University of the Arts.
Come for light dinner, cash bar, and stimulating conversation.
Tickets for the Gala entitle you to weekend long access to the show.
For ticket prices and to make reservations, see the Furniture Show's website at www.PhilaIFS.com in the near future.
| |
|
|
About Us
Turning Points newsletter and Turning Points online are electronic publications of the
Wood Turning Center.
.....................................................
501 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, US
www.woodturningcenter.org
p: (215) 923.8000 f: (215) 923.4403
|
|
|
