Events

Overview

Chips, shavings and sawdust: they’ll be on campus in abundance during this annual favorite: Wood Week 2019. Choose from a dozen courses in a variety of areas: carving, turning, hand tools and power tools. As always, Friday March 8 will be the Carver’s Conference, a day full of demonstrations, workshops, skill shares and community gatherings, including the rare mid-winter pizza bake. All enrolled students are encouraged to come early or stay late to partake of this extra benefit. A full schedule of events for the Carver’s Conference will be available in early 2019.

Featured Instructor Masashi Kutsuwa

North House is delighted to welcome to campus a Featured International Artist from Japan, Masashi Kutsuwa. Craft traditions from the circumpolar north include the snowy Ishikawa region of Japan, where a centuries old greenwood working tradition of carving wagatabon was nearly wiped out by the construction of hydroelectric dams and cultural shifts. Wagatabon are simple chestnut trays used for a variety of practical and ceremonial purposes and were commonly made by roof shingle makers as a supplement to their income. Fortunately, through the efforts of Tatsuaki Kuroda, Japan’s first living national treasure in woodwork, the wagatabon tradition has been preserved. Masashi, accompanied by woodworker Shinichi Moriguchi, will teach this Japanese folk craft for the first time in North America in two sessions during Wood Week, part of North House’s on-going efforts to explore global northern green woodworking traditions. Masashi will also give a public presentation on Friday, March 8.