Our 2013 Demonstrators are:
Nick Arnull, United Kingdom
Woodturning for Nick is a way of life, he champions the use of texture & colour his rotations will also include methods to help improve finishing when decorating turned wood. He has contributed 90 articles to the UK Woodturning magazine, produced two DVDs and published his first book. “Contemporary Woodturning”.
Mark Baker, United Kingdom
Mark Baker is the editor of the popular Woodturning and Woodcarving Magazines published by GMC Publications, UK. He is also the author of 3 books- Woodturning: A Workshop Guide to Shapes, Wood for Woodturners and recently a new book / DVD combination called Woodturning: A Craftsman’s Guide. Mark is a frequent contributor to woodturning magazines, and is a very popular demonstrator worldwide. Mark’s background in communication coupled with his professional woodturning experience make him an exceptional woodturning instructor. He also has the ability to convey information to students in a clear and concise manner while drawing on his 25+ years of experience and knowledge of the woodturning industry.
Clinton Biggs, Canada
Clinton has always enjoyed woodworking since the age of 3, Dr. Dale Nish was his first woodturning instructor at a course in Calgary in 2000. He has since attended several courses at Craft Supplies U.S.A. where he was instructed by many of his fellow turners. Clinton received a scholarship from the A.A.W. in 2001 and in 2003 went to England where he was instructed by Allan Batty. Since then he has enjoyed many aspects of turning, attending and helping out at the annual Utah Symposiums.
Kip Christensen, Utah
Kip Christensen, PhD, is a Professor in the School of Technology at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. His primary teaching areas include furniture design, wood prototyping, manufacturing, and supervising student teachers in Technology and Engineering Education. Dozens of his students have received national recognition for having furniture they designed and built accepted into juried exhibitions and published in books featuring exceptional furniture designs. Kip is also a well-known woodturner. He has co-authored three books and co-produced eight instructional dvds about woodturning. His work has been published in over two dozen books. He has also authored several articles regarding woodworking and technology education. His turnings have been pictured in a variety of magazines and displayed in many galleries and international juried exhibitions. His work is also housed in numerous collections, both public and private. Kip has been invited to give over 250 national and international presentations at workshops and symposia. His work is characterized by clean lines and fine detail. Kip has a particular interest in woodturning education and is often involved in teaching turners about techniques and projects used in teaching others how to turn.
Andy Cole, Hawaii
Andy’s passion for woodturning is evident in both his work and highly energized demonstrations. His specialty is bringing out the beauty in natural edge bowls with an emphasis on form. The bowl coring demo is a perennial favorite. Andy’s presentations are never boring, quite educational, and always worth attending!
David Drescher, Australia
David is the owner of South East Queensland Woodworking Supplies in Brisbane Australia (www.woodworkingsuppliesqld.com.au), founded in 1997. Although based in Brisbane, he owns the only travelling woodworking supplies store in Australia and travels tens of thousands of miles each year servicing the needs of woodturners across a vast territory. David also is the owner of Turnfest, the only annual woodturning symposium in Australia. Now in its 11th year. From small beginnings, it has grown into one of the most significant events in the world. In 2012 Turnfest celebrated its 10th anniversary with 600 attendees and 40 demonstrators, 20 of which were from outside Australia. Turnfest is held at the end of March each year at The SeaWorld Resort on the Gold Coast Australia. For more information go to www.turnfest.com.au
J Paul Fennell, Arizona
I have been a woodturner for over 40 years, beginning in 1970 at an adult education class in California. I have been a member of the AAW since 1986, and have attended all but one of the annual symposiums. I was a founding member and officer of the Central New England Woodturners, established in 1987, and currently a member of the Arizona Woodturners Association. I have been demonstrating and teaching since 1993. My work resides in many private collections and in many museums, including: The Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC The Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Museum, Washington, DC Detroit Institute of Arts The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu, HI Minneapolis Institute of Arts Yale University Art Gallery Michigan University Museum of Art Cincinnati Art Museum Museum of Arts & Design, New York Racine Art Museum Mobile Museum of Art My work is based primarily on the hollow form, and through various design elements is expressive of my interests, memories, travels and nature. I am largely self-taught, and have developed my own tools and techniques over the years, which I readily share with other woodturners. I am currently a member of the Professional Outreach Program Committee of the AAW, and recently developed and organized the Emerging Artist Program, which was inaugurated at the Hartford symposium.
Handouts
Early Work
Home Made Tools
Indexing Wheel
Current Work
Cynthia Gibson, Georgia
Cynthia Gibson has been a doodler from childhood and would draw on everything including her test papers in school! She has worked as a photographer’s set stylist, visual merchandiser for a major jewelry company, caterer and schoolteacher. When Cynthia’s husband, Michael, discovered woodturning, she was his constant companion at symposiums and demonstrations and longed to be a part of his hobby. In 2008, the couple sailed with the Norwegian Woodturning cruise and Cynthia met British pyrographer, Bob Neill. Fascinated with pyrography, she set out on a four-year journey to learn the tool. Cynthia’s unique style of pyroengraving has captured the attention of many in the woodturning world. Cynthia and Michael Gibson now work as a collaborative team creating embellished teapots and hollow vessels. Cynthia works from her home studio in Hoschton, Georgia. The Gibsons were invited to demonstrate at the AAW’s 27th National Symposium in Tampa this June.
Steve Hagen, Idaho
Steve’s first lathe was a yard sale special he picked up in Washington State in 2007 after admiring turned wood pieces at a farmer’s market. He then took basic instruction from the artisan, Eric Von Bargen. After returning to his home state of Idaho, Steve was first introduced to pen turning at the Utah Woodturning Symposium in 2009 and has been “polishing his skills” ever since. He has attended every Utah Woodturning Symposium since then. He has traveled to Gatlinburg, TN for the last three years to attend workshops given by Kurt Hertzog and Barry Gross at Arrowmont School of Art. Steve is a member of the American Association of Woodturners and Woodcraft Guild of Idaho Falls, Steve is an active board member and demonstrator of the local guild. Steve strives for quality and his pens are admired by all, however, many of his pens appeal to the outdoorsman (woman). His pens are for sale in shops in Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming. Steve’s rotations will include a trophy pen that shows a picture of the hunting trophy, using the shell casing and bullet used to bag the trophy. Also he will convert a Pentel pencil using acrylic or wood.
Mick Hanbury, United Kingdom
Mick Hanbury RPT www.mickhanbury.com Mick Hanbury was born in Cyprus the son of a soldier, and travelled around Europe for most of his childhood. He started his career as a cabinet maker, and found woodturning twenty years ago which seemed like a natural progression and now this is his job as well as his passion, He now makes his living from teaching, demonstrating, production turning and has made six successful DVD’s on what he has learnt in his time turning Mick demonstrates at local and international shows in England, USA, Germany, and Ireland and at woodturning clubs throughout the UK. He is listed on the Register of Professional Turners as well as being a member of Association of Woodturners of Great Britain. Over the years Mick has developed a unique style of decorative finishes to his pieces and is well known for his beautiful finial boxes, elegant spiral stem goblets, and delicately patterned platters. At the symposium Mick will be demonstrating decorative effects on platters ie spirals, textures, colours and carving, Also enhancing spalted timber by piercing out areas which are naturally occurring in the wood. Mick will also be sharing with you one or more of his favourite projects.
Tim Heil, Minnesota
I was introduced to woodturning in high school wood shop. Since then I have studied with Alan Lacer and Trent Bosch. I have attended 5 national AAW National Symposiums and was selected to demonstrate at the National Symposium in 2011. I like to make functional things that are useful and beautiful. I recently had an article published in American Woodworker Magazine explaining how to make rolling pins. I’ve also had work published in Fine Woodworking, The AAW Journal and Woodwork Magazine. At this years symposium I’ll share a new wood finishing product that I discovered while treating a case of poison ivy! Remember, getting started is 90% of being a productive woodturner.
Handouts
Handouts for Tim's demonstrations are available at his website at: timheilwoodturner.com
Joe Herrmann, Ohio
Joe Herrmann is a retired Industrial Arts teacher and the current editor of Woodturning Design Magazine. He has also written articles for "Fine Woodworking" "The Woodworker's Journal" and "Creative Woodworks and Crafts".
In addition to teaching, and writing, Joe displayed his work at major craft shows in the Midwest and the East Coast making mostly functional items for the kitchen, as well as, pens, bowls, boxes, and other turned items.
Handouts
Square Bowl
Stamp Holder
Whatnot Dish
Turned Bread Knife
Kurt Hertzog, New York
Kurt is a professional woodturner who enjoys everything from making his own turning tools to photographing his finished turnings. A frequent demonstrator and instructor on many facets of woodturning, he particularly enjoys teaching tool sharpening, workholding, turned ornaments, and advanced penmaking. Kurt is a regular feature columnist for Woodturning Design and Woodturning Magazine, a Council Member of the Pen Makers Guild, and a member of the Board of Directors of the AAW.
Alan Lacer, Wisconsin
Alan has been involved in woodturning for over thirty-five years as a turner, teacher, writer, exhibition coordinator, demonstrator and expert witness. Alan has been an instructor and demonstrator, working in 50 states and 5 foreign countries. His published writings -upwards of 150-- cover a wide spectrum of woodturning. He has also produced five videos. Alan will demonstrate the wicked skew, box making and a little metal work.
Handouts
Skew Handout
Sharpening
Skew Warmups
Mary Lacer, Wisconsin
Mary has been drawn to woodturning through the warmth of wood for over 30 years. She has taught woodturning in numerous craft schools and woodworking programs around the country. The enjoyment Mary feels from making functional items that people incorporate into their daily lives drives her to keep exploring. Mary will be demonstrating projects used in the home at the Utah Symposium.
Handouts
Top This
Dennis Liggett, Colorado
Dennis Liggett is known as a hard-working demonstrator who provides the how and why of intermediate level techniques, including twistwork, stone inlay, thread-chasing, and traditional multi-axis turning. His training is from traditional English woodturning craftsmanship, which emphasizes tool control, quality wood, and proven designs. Dennis lives on the Palmer Ridge just north of Colorado Springs. He is a mentor for the Pikes Peak Woodturners, offers classes in his shop for turners of all skill levels, and demonstrates around the country. See more at DennisLiggettWoodturner.com
Mike Mahoney, Utah
Mike has been a professional woodturner since 1992. He specializes in utilitarian items that he wholesales to American Crafts galleries across the U.S. Mike acquires all his material from local urban sources (tree trimmers and city landfills). Mike has also taught his craft at woodturning symposiums in seven countries. Mike has diversified by creating instructional DVDs and a line of woodworking finishes with a walnut oil base.
Dale Nish, Utah
Dale is well known for his books Creative Woodturning, Artistic Woodturning, Master Woodturners, and Woodturning with Ray Allen. He has demonstrated throughout the Unites States, England, Norway, and New Zealand, working with some of the foremost craftsmen in the world. Dale has had significant international influence on woodturning during the past four decades, including initiating the Utah Woodturning Symposium in the late 1970’s.
Jerry Sambrook, Massachusetts
Jerry started turning pens and pencils on a base model 500 Shopsmith in late 1993. In 1996, a large job burnt him out, and was late 2006 before he started to turn again. He wished the time could be taken back. When Jerry returned to turning, it was right back into pens. Upwards of 300 a year were produced for a couple of years, done in a methodical method brought in from his manufacturing and design background A decision was made to learn to turn by concentrating on one type of thing for a 5 to 6 month period at a time after reading a book by Mark Baker. First conventional bowls, then natural edge bowls where he studied under Al Czellecz and John Lorch. Boxes were then learned, and split hollow forms followed. Something must have been learned a little right, as Jerry now teaches and demonstrates at the Woodcraft in West Springfield, and a few of the local clubs every year. A short stint at the Worcester Center for Crafts with Dave Eaton occurred as well. Jerry was even honored enough to be selected as a demonstrator in San Jose for 2012. Although Jerry does not do a lot of embellishments, he tries to pay attention to small details, like good grain alignment and balance. This he attributes to learning from notable turner Al Stirt, and from Howard Loos and Ken Dubay.
Mark Supik, Maryland
Mark Supik’s Baltimore woodturning business produces architectural millwork for historic restorations, custom turnings for furniture makers, and taphandles for microbreweries. On the weekends, the shop becomes a woodturning school where Mark teaches traditional spindle technique, green bowl turning, and even a specialty class for making your own beer tap.
John Wessels, South Africa
I live on a farm on the Southern Coast of South Africa. For the last few years I have been busy building a house on the farm with a large amount of wood in it. This love for wood goes back to my childhood. In the 50's and 60's the seeds to my future were sown. My love for aircraft took me down the road to building them with balsa wood and flying them. Also in this period of my life my Mom took me to Sheet Pewter classes which she was attending. In high school my favourite subject was Industrial Art. This subject allowed me the opportunity to work on a wood lathe. The rest is history, thirty years of flying with the national airline and wood is still a large part of my life. Seven years into retirement and not enough hours in the day. During my years of working, firstly as an engineer then as a pilot, there was not enough free time to release the creativity that I have now. After attending a few Symposiums I realized how important it is to interact and share ideas with people with the same interests. Over the years I have made friends with many people across the world. Today we meet in different locations and all feel like a big family. It is important to share information and I am honored to be able to demonstrate what I have learnt in the field of Pewter that could be of use to others in their quest to do something outstanding.
Handouts
Sheet Pewter Tools
Cast Pewter Tools
Wessels Symposium Handout
Vic Wood, Australia
Vic Wood is an Internationally recognized wood turner and a trained teacher with qualifications in Cabinet making, Wood Turning, and a Fellowship Diploma of Gold and Silver smithing. Vic has been a member of the woodworking elite of Australia for more than three decades. He is well known as a teacher and lecturer and for the objects he creates. In 2012 he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal, for services to arts and crafts in Australia as an Artisan. In addition to the imposing pieces, which sell mainly through exhibitions, he continues to make a range of smaller "one-off" boxes and bowls which are marketed in craft galleries throughout the world. Vic has been experimenting with the effects of circles imposed on squares and rectangles since 1966, though not always using timber. He trained originally as an industrial arts teacher majoring in gold and silver smithing. Most of his early work adorned walls, and it was through the subtle, sensual, turned and carved undulation of the wall plaques that Vic developed his reputation while a lecturer at Melbourne State College. Vic has travelled widely throughout Australia, to the U.K. U.S.A. Canada and New Zealand, demonstrating and teaching and is represented in numerous major collections throughout the world.
Handouts
All Rotations
Presentations in Detail
Rotation 1,2 a Drawing
Rotation 1,2 b Drawing
Rotation 1,2 c Drawing
Rotation 1,2 d Drawing
Rotation 3,5 a Drawing
Rotation 3,5 b Drawing
Rotation 4 a Drawing
Rotation 4 b Drawing
Rotation 4 c Drawing
Rotation 4 d Drawing
Rotation 4 e Drawing
Rotation 4 f Drawing
Rotation 6 a Drawing
Ken Wraight, Australia
Ken is from Australia and began his woodturning career in 2000, turning it into a life-long obsession perhaps 5 or 6 years later. Since that humble beginning, Ken has won many awards including the prestigious Australian National Woodturning Exhibition (Open) on 5 separate occasions. He has also demonstrated regularly at the annual Turnfest symposium in Australia. Ken regularly travels across the country teaching and demonstrating and more recently has shared his knowledge in New Zealand. Ken also is a regular contributor to the Australian Woodworker magazine. Now, ten years on, Ken's work has an international following. It typically features a multitude of pieces turned to tolerances usually reserved for metal working. His pieces are easily recognized by their delicate spindle décor often mixed with intricate lattice turning. This combination is the hallmark of his work. Ken typically works to detailed drawings and will demonstrate his methods for producing intricate pieces.
Handouts
Finial Box
Phoenix Box
Weed Pot 1
Weed Pot 2
