Posts tagged Wood
Introduction to the Woodshop: Ease through Hands-on Understanding
Introduction to the Woodshop: Ease through Hands-on Understanding

This immersive workshop is an introduction to the wood studio, focused on safe tool use and understanding each machine's purpose. Through practice, demonstrations, and design discussions, we will explore project planning, material sourcing, and tool safety. Emphasizing a thoughtful, safe workflow, the workshop will foster a supportive environment where we can develop foundational skills and confidence, setting the stage for further exploration in woodworking. Exclusive for beginners.

Kelly Harris (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based furniture maker, hand tool maker, and educator, combining critical thought, curiosity, and years of trade experience to create custom, functional furniture with bold, elegant design while teaching woodworking nationwide.

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Square ONEMolly FlaniganWood, Kelly Harris
Sitting with the Past: Craft + Culture Through Chair Making
Sitting with the Past: Craft + Culture Through Chair Making

This workshop will offer participants a deep dive into a variety of tools and techniques for the design and construction of ladderback chairs. Parts will be split from a freshly felled log, shaped using drawknives and spokeshaves, and joined through a combination of traditional and modern techniques. Demonstrations will be based on the iconic form produced by the Poynor family, and participants will be encouraged to experiment with their own design ideas with their chairs. All levels welcome.

Charlie Ryland (he/him) is a chair maker and teacher interested in working with pre-industrial tools, techniques, and styles to unpack their stories and adapt their forms to the modern context.

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Session 1Molly FlaniganWood, Charlie Ryland
Party Furniture/Furniture Party
Party Furniture/Furniture Party

This workshop fosters human connection through making and experiencing art, craft, and design. Participants will design and build wood objects that facilitate social engagement through intentional interaction. They will then work collaboratively and create an end-of-session event that encourages visitors to interact with the objects and ultimately, each other. Basic hand tool, machine tools, and joinery techniques will be demonstrated as needed (mortise and tenon, splined miters, etc.). Use of upholstery, moving parts, and alternative materials are a possibility. Anything goes! All levels welcome.

Annie Evelyn (she/her) seeks to bring joy, human connection, and self-discovery to all she does.

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Session 2Molly FlaniganWood, Annie Evelyn
Wood Fiction / Nonfiction: Sculpting Narrative
Wood Fiction / Nonfiction: Sculpting Narrative

In this workshop, students will learn techniques for sculpting with wood and how to talk about their work poetically and effectively. Through experiential exercises, students will learn how to imbue narratives into their work while expanding their spoken and visual vocabulary. This hands-on workshop will introduce students to sculpting techniques using hand tools, power tools, and woodworking machinery. The class is designed to help students get rid of any fear or tension in the woodshop, and develop a safe expressive relationship to woodworking.

Raul De Lara (he/him) is a sculptor based in New York City. His work explores the emotive and storytelling qualities of materials.

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Session 3Molly FlaniganWood, Raul De Lara
Call + Response
Call + Response

The objects and spaces we navigate are filled with latent potential for redefinition. Starting our session with succinct and satisfying technical explorations and ending with a long form project, we will explore object making steeped in humor, absurdity, and the capacity for transformation. Architecture, the environment, and found materials will be prompts for inventive, improvisational building strategies that speak to specificity of place, partnerships, and people. Using traditional wood milling and furniture making processes as a guide, participants will define the technical parameters of their work based on site and material choices with the goal of finding strategies where a personal and proliferating source of conceptual and technical fodder abound. All levels welcome.

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Session 4Molly FlaniganWood, Ellie Richards
Serious Play: Exploring Mechanical Movements through Wooden Toys
Serious Play: Exploring Mechanical Movements through Wooden Toys

Using push-and-pull toys as a prompt, participants will begin to explore simple, handmade, wood mechanisms such as hinges, levers, cams, and cranks. Small and playful, these objects will allow us to explore how moving parts come with their own set of opportunities and challenges. All levels welcome.

Katie Hudnall (she/her) is a woodworker, artist, and educator in Madison, WI, where she runs the Woodworking program at UW–Madison.

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Session 5Molly FlaniganWood, Katie Hudnall
Sculptural Mirror Frames
Sculptural Mirror Frames

In this workshop, we will spend time exploring the elements of design to create a sculptural mirror frame of your own design. Participants will learn how to make patterns for various elements of your frames, how to safely use stationary power tools to mill rough lumber, and produce the stock for building your frame. Participants will learn the process of bricklay lamination, as well as various shaping techniques such as using rasps and files, abrasive tools, and routers. All levels welcome.

Lacey Carnahan (she/her) lives on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. She works out of her home shop with her partner and her sweet pup.

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Session 6Molly FlaniganWood, Lacey Carnahan