North House Folk School | North House Folk School

Wood Week

Overview

Chips, shavings and sawdust: they’ll be on campus in abundance during this annual favorite: Wood Week 2020. Choose from a dozen courses, including returning favorites in bowl carving with Jon Strom, spoon carving with Fred Livesay and Mike Loeffler, Krympburkar: Scandanavian-Style Shrink Boxes with Paul Linden & Jim Sannerud, and figure carving with Harley Refsal. Or, try something new with Bruce Futterer (Carving Facial Detail), Liesl Chatman (Kolrosing), or Jock Holmen (Dragon Head Carving). All courses are open for registration now.

As always, Friday, March 6 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. Those not enrolled for a class may purchase a $25 pass to attend Carver's Conference.

Featured Instructor: Peter Follansbee

We are excited to welcome Peter Follansbee back to campus in celebration of his new book from Lost Art Press, Joiner's Work. Peter will teach two courses in 17th century decorative carving and offer a public talk on Friday, March 6 following the pizza bake.

“If you like green woodworking, Joiner’s Work is doctoral thesis on processing furniture-shaped chunks of lumber from the tree using and axe, froe, hatchet and brake. If you are into carving, Peter dives into deep detail on how he festoons his pieces with carvings that appear complex but are remarkably straightforward. And if you love casework, “Joiner’s Work” is a lesson on the topic that you won’t find in many places. Peter’s approach to the work, which is based on examining original pieces and endless shop experimentation, is a liberating and honest foil to the world of micrometers and precision routing.” - Lost Art Press

Full event schedule available here in PDF format, or below.

Wood Week courses are open for registration — register now!

Event Details

EVENING TALKS | 7pm Tuesday-Saturday, Red Building

Join us each night for tales of wood from beyond our shores. Each night will feature a presentation from an instructor who has recently traveled abroad and returned with stories to share. Free, open to all.

Tuesday, March 3	Marybeth Garmoe: Scandinavia
Wednesday, March 4	Jarrod Dahl: Japan
Thursday, March 5	Mike Loeffler: Scandinavia
Friday, March 6	Peter Follansbee: Featured Presentation (see below)
Saturday, March 7	Liesl Chatman: New Zealand

OPEN SHOP | 8pm Tuesday-Sunday, Red Building

As a special perk of Wood Week, North House will be open for students to carve away the evenings. Bring your own project; hosted by a volunteer instructor. Note: some hand tools will be available for use, but students are encouraged to bring their own.

CARVER’S CONFERENCE | Friday, March 6

As a special feature of this week, all classes will take a break on Friday to allow everyone to participate in presentations, demonstrations, films and shared meals. Participation in the Carver’s Conference Day is included in the tuition for all woodworking courses. All others are welcome to attend for a $25 fee; click here to purchase a pass, or call 218-387-9762 for information.

Demonstrations | 9am - 12pm, Blue Building

In the morning, we’ll gather for presentations from three makers on particular skill sets. Observe, ask questions and learn.

9am Dawson Moore Spoon Carving and the Spoon Mule

10am Rose Holdorf Post and Rung Stool Making

11am Angela Robins Small Carved Vessels

Chili Potluck | 12:30 - 1:30pm, Blue Building

North House will provide the chili (veg and gluten free friendly), you bring a small lunch accompaniment to share: crackers, cheese, pickles, cookies, fruit, whatever. BYO woodenware to use and share!

Mini Film Fest | 1:30-5:00pm, Blue Building

1:30 Another Work is Possible Mortise and Tenon, 77 min, 2020

3:00 The Spoon, the Bowl and the Knife, Jogge Sunqvist, 71 min, 2015

4:30 Hands: The Cavan Cooper, David & Sally Shaw-Smith, 26 min, 1981

Demonstrations | 1:30-4:30, Red Building

The afternoon will feature an informal gathering of instructors at work in the woodshop. Come watch, ask questions and start planning for the class you want to take next year.

Peter Follansbee: carved oak panels
Fred Livesay: spoons
Mike Loeffler: carved bird bowls
Liesl Chatman: kolrosing
Paul Linden: shrink pots
Jim Sannerud: carved patterns and textures
Jarrod Dahl: knutkorg baskets
Jon Strom: bowl carving
Bruce Futterer: carving details
Harley Refsal: flat plane carving
Kerry Lambertson: axe hafting
Jock Holmen: dragon head carving

5:30pm | Wood-Fired Pizza Potluck, Blue Building

The classic North House student gathering makes a rare winter appearance! We will fire the brick oven and making plenty of pizza dough; you provide the rest. If everyone brings a topping or two, we’ll have a great smorgasbord of options. Come early (5pm) for Happy Chopping Hour to prep toppings. Baking will start at 5:30.

7:30pm | Featured Presentation: Forty Years in Green Woodworking — A Craft Genealogy with Peter Follansbee, Blue Building

Peter will explore the deep roots and new branches of his career in traditional green woodworking over the last four decades and share stories of the many people who have inspired him along the way.

8:30pm | Open Shop, Red Building

Bring your carving knife, bring an instrument, come hang out in the woodshop.