October 2023 -Spring Newsletter

A warm welcome to our Spring Newsletter

The school workshop is full, busy and bustling with the final term of the 2023 Furniture Makers’ Programme and the 8-week Beginners Intensive Programme running side by side. 

Of the fourteen students currently here with us it’s really heartwarming to see the make up of five women, five people who are under the age of 30 (including two eighteen year olds), people from all over Aotearoa and one overseas student. This gives an average age of forty years old for our current cohort, which demonstrates a definite shift in the sand.

Back in the early days when the school was getting going, the student demographic was quite a different picture and we continue to work hard to be able to make our courses accessible to people of every age and every walk of life.  The common thread being that they all want to be the best they can be at woodworking – so they are in the right place here with us! 

We are forever grateful for those of you who have been regular students here over the years, but we also acknowledge that the cost of our courses can prohibit young people from attending.  We are working on projects with some secondary schools to upskill technology teachers who have turned to us for help.  Keeping fine woodworking skills alive and kicking is our mission, and we need to ensure that these skills are passed on to future generations.  Without the ability to offer ongoing opportunities to a younger generation of woodworkers coming through then our days could be numbered.

As a not for profit organisation and registered charity, running this place is always a juggle.  Many other schools overseas have trust funds set up to offer scholarships for specific courses or with a specific criteria attached.  Although this kind of opportunity is something we passionately want to offer to potential students on an onging basis it is not an easy task to make happen.

---

The 2024 Beginners Intensive Programme offers the Thorkild Hansen scholarship each year – a wonderful opportunity for a person aged between 18 and 25 who lives in the Top of the South / Te Tau Ihu who shows talent, determination and potential.

The recipient of the scholarship has the full fees of the 8-week programme paid for and a small travel allowance.  The scholarship programme is now in it’s second year and was carefully planned in discussion with Thorkild and his family  before he sadly passed away almost two years ago. 

Our hope is that we continue to raise funds to keep this going for many years to come so we can continue to acknowledge the significant contribution Thorkild has given to the school in the almost fourteen years he was a teacher here.  Our heartfelt thanks goes out to all of those people who contributed towards the scholarship fund – almost all of who had participated in one or more of Thorkild’s courses here over the years. 

If you are able to help continue this legacy in the form of a donation – however much or little – will all help and we would be hugely appreciative of your contribution.  If you would like to discuss this further then please do get in touch.

Alternatively, if you have any experience or involvement regarding the setting up and/or fundraising for scholarships (or any other fundraising activities) we would love to have your feedback, tips and hints. Contact us here.

Speaking of young people – let me introduce you to Valentin Botcazou

We are delighted to welcome Valentin to our team who is here as a full time intern as part of an Erasmus France (Education & Formation) Programme. 

This wonderful opportunity for him is sponsored by the French government through Erasmus who have run a well established programme which supports the enrichment and opening of minds of young people from countries in the European Union. 

Valentin has just completed a degree in furniture making and arrived here at the beginning of October and already is making himself very very useful.  He will be with us for at least six months, possibly longer.

For us this is the first time we have taken on an intern, and we can see that it would be a wonderful ongoing mutually beneficial relationship with Erasmus to offer an opportunity to have an intern here with us and share the great Kiwi warmth and experience in return.

Win win, we say. 

And speaking of young people .....there’s more.....

Cam Scott who is one of our current full time students is a very focussed 21 year old young man with the drive and desire to become a professional furniture maker.   

To build on the skills he will take away from here at the end of the year, Cam has been accepted on a year long Bespoke Makers’ programme at the prestigious Williams & Cleal Fine Woodworking & Furniture School in Somerset, UK. 

This programme will be tailor made Cam’s individual requirements, including portfolio development, building a design identity, advanced hand skills and machine techniques, and learning new complimentary skills like parquetry, marquetry and upholstery.

What an exciting future lies ahead of him; we are proud of you Cam and wish you well.

---

Furniture Makers’ Programme

A warm welcome to Brian Reid who returns to teach the final term of our 2023 Furniture Makers’ Programme.  Students have created some amazing work so far under the guidance of tutors Lou Fuller and Stuart Faulkner which will all be part of the graduate exhibition that opens on 8th December at the Parker Gallery here in Nelson. 

Applications and expressions of interest are open for the 2024 Furniture Makers’ Programme – full details are here on our website.  You are welcome to get in touch if you would like to have any questions answered or would like to arrange a visit prior to your application.

---

2024 Short Course Programme

There has been some final shuffling around of the 2024 short course programme and the timetable has been updated and is now available on our website here. 

You will notice that there are a few courses that say “New Course – TBC” which are mostly the new courses being under the umbrella of our mentoring programme generously funded through the Creative New Zealand Annual Arts Grant. 

These courses will be finalised in the next month or so and the short course programme timetable will be updated in due course. 

Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or want to discuss which course is the best fit.........look forward to seeing you here in the workshop next year.

---

As always - nice to catch up with you all!
Thanks for taking the time to read what's been and is happening here.
Kind regards from the small but MIGHTY team.

Newsletter - August 2023

Welcome to our October newsletter

Today is the 17th August – exactly one year since we had to rapidly abandon the workshop due to the extreme weather event and flooding here in Nelson. 

Today is sunny, cold and the snow on the Mount Arthur range is magnificent.

The driveway has finally been resealed and we no longer have to swerve around the potholes.

All is well in our world!

---

We are looking forward to the return of Brian Reid later in the year as he will be teaching the final term of the 2023 Furniture Makers’ Programme.  After the roaring success of his master class earlier in the year (which was fully enrolled in less than a week!) we will be running this again at the end of the year – full details are here on our website.

Joints - A Master Class with Brian Reid – 7th – 11th December

In this five day technique based course students will learn to make many of the joints required to make a structurally sound cabinet and each student will create a sample board to take home .

---

Thorkild Hansen Scholarship  

Deadline for applications is 1st September

Do you know anyone under the age of 25 who lives in the Top of the South who shows real promise and a passion for woodworking?  If you do, then please encourage them to apply for this wonderful opportunity to attend our 8-week Beginners Intensive Programme.

Full details are here.

---

Intro to Laminating & Coopering

9th – 14th October 2023

This course has been fully booked for quite a while, but unfortunately we have recently had two people cancel.

This 6 day class introduces the techniques of laminating and coopering and applies them to produce a beautiful bowl. This includes the processes of cutting your own laminates from solid timber, pressing them using a vacuum bag, and the process of building the form required to do so.

You also learn the process of making and using the jig required to cut the coopered parts and the cradle to support the glue up.

This is a great course with a great project to take home – get in touch if you would like to enrol.

---

THANK YOU!

Creative New Zealand | Toi Aotearoa

We are delighted to share the fantastic news that we have been successful in our application to Creative New Zealand in the Annual Arts Grants.

We will be receiving a substantial amount of funding towards a mentoring programme for our established and emerging tutors and creating a new generation of Aotearoa based teachers.

This exciting project is starting straight away and we have a well planned schedule over the next twelve months, so you will see some new tutors and new courses appear on the 2024 short course programme. There will also be some professional development opportunities for our existing tutors, who will be mentored by our eminent visiting tutors.

This project will be huge step forward for us both in terms of expanding our teaching team and a continuous upskilling and sharing knowledge amongst our existing tutors. Soooo exciting – a huge thank you to Creative New Zealand.

---

Australian Wood Review

Maker of the Year

This annual and highly prestigious competition is still open for entries until 4th September, so if you are thinking about participating, there is still time..

Even if you aren’t going to enter, we highly recommend that you have a browse through the entries here – it’s really interesting to see the work of all these talented people whether they are professional makers or passionate hobbyists. There are a few of our “people” who have entered too, and the top 100 will be published on the Australian Wood Review website.

---

2024 Short Course Programme

The jam-packed exciting 2024 short course programme is now available on our website here. There will be some additional information added as short course plans progress and you will be updated via our newsletter.

Over the last year or so we have noticed that courses are filling up quicker than ever, so if you are thinking about enrolling then please don’t leave it too long as we don’t want you to be disappointed. Having our new tutors deliver some additional short courses will give you more options to choose from, and our visiting tutors who teach in the full time programme will also be running a short course or master class.

Keep you posted……Looking forward to seeing you here!

---

2023 FURNITURE MAKERS’ PROGRAMME - TERM 4

As mentioned earlier we will have Brian Reid teach the final term of the full time programme.  Brian is an amazingly skilled cabinet maker and has taught at the highly prestigious Center for Furniture Craftsmanship for almost 20 years. 

We have one space available in this final term so if you are would like an opportunity to come in for this 8-week period to design and make a cabinet under Brian’s wing then please get in touch for some further details. 

You would need to show us evidence that your existing skill level would be a good fit for this final term.

---

As always - nice to catch up with you all!
Thanks for taking the time to read what's been and is happening here.
Kind regards from the small but MIGHTY team.

Mid-Winter Newsletter June 2023

Hello from a busy workshop!

Welcome to our latest newsletter stuffed full of what’s been happening, what’s going to be happening and what we would like to be happening! 

• New Short Course - The Mark of a Well-Made Drawer - 1st-3rd August

• Carving Courses in August - Intro to Carving, Spoon Carving & Letter Carving

• What's been happening in the workshop these last few months.....

• 2024 Furniture Makers' Programme

• Emerge Exhibition

• Beginners' Intensive Programme & Scholarship

• Congratulations to David Haig

---

“The Mark of a Well-Made Drawer” with Stuart Faulkner
1st/2nd/3rd August 2023

Stuart is heading over to teach Term 3 of the Furniture Makers’ Programme and we have managed to sneak in a short course beforehand. In this 3-day course students will enjoy the experience of crafting and fitting a classic drawer. 

A small sample drawer will be made in order to cover all the fine intricasies for a well made and well fitted drawer. Details are on our website here.

---

We have a few spaces still available on the following courses:

Intro to Carving - 12th/13th August
Intro to Spoon Carving 14th/15th August
Intro to Letter Carving 16th/17th August

Get in touch if you are interested...

---

THANKS THANKS THANKS THANKS

It's been a busy few months with our visiting tutors and there's been a great buzz and energy in the short course workshop teaching area. 
A huge thank you to Andy Buck, Hape Kiddle, Dave Gilberd of Goldbeard Guitars and Ben Grant for sharing their passion, wisdom and experience with our students.   

Andy taught a 5-day design workshop during his fleeting visit to New Zealand and we talked him (& Ben & Lou) into staying around to carve a mobius with Hape - great sessions, great conversations and all very inspiring.

Hape Kiddle taught four different carving courses and organised some wonderful evening get togethers which we have now called "chip & chat" - chipping and chiseling timber, eating chips and hanging out with each other.  Pure gold.  Looking forward to the next visit Hape.

Ben was teaching assistant to Lou Fuller who taught the set project in Term 2 of the iconic David Haig hoop stool.  Coincidentally, David Haig was teaching the same course at the same time at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine - the same project at both sides of the world!  More about David's trip later in the newsletter.

Dave Gilberd had a full class of students making their own acoustic guitar with one student fulfilling a long ambition to create his own flamenco guitar.  A fabulous three weeks with six stunning guitars and six very happy students.  

So this is a little bit of me (Helen aka the manager) sharing my recent experience in the workshop.  I am often asked if I do any woodworking and the answer is I don't.  It's a pretty hectic but very fulfilling job running this special place, but I decided that I would participate in Hape Kiddle's Mobius/Gidgee 3-day course even though I was very busy and in the thick of a funding application.  I turned off my phone, closed the office door and became a student.  I absolutely loved it and was so proud of the piece I created - I could hardly believe it (Thanks Hape!). 

Anyway the point of this story is that the experience made me truly understand how our students feel at the end of a course - happy, proud, focused, fulfilled, nourished, refreshed and taking away with them such a great sense of achievement (or in my case I was just downright smug). 

Being creative is such an important part of our well being and brings a much better balance in life.

---

2024 FURNITURE MAKERS' PROGRAMME

Applications are still being considered for our 2024 Furniture Makers’ Programme – do get in touch if you have any questions, would like to arrange a visit or would like to discuss your application.

---

“Emerge” Exhibition

We showcased the work from the eight graduates of the 2022 Furniture Makers’ Programme at a new venue - the Parker Gallery here in Nelson which finished a couple of weeks ago.  The exhibition was a roaring success and a wonderful celebration of the work produced by the students under the guidance of Lou Fuller, David Haig, Michael Fortune & Brian Reid. 
 
Huge thanks to Leonie who owns the Parker Gallery for her faith in us, the time she took to engage with the students before the exhibition and giving them such an amazing opportunity to exhibit alongside well established artists in a commercial gallery setting.
 
A virtual video tour and the gallery of work is now available to view on our website here so please take a look. 
 
Here are a few images to whet your apetite.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

---

Beginners Intensive Programme - 16th October - 8th December 2023

We have had one student who has had to unfortunately pull out of the Beginners’ Intensive Programme which has been advertised as “Fully Booked” on our website for many months.  Full details are here so if you are interested in applying for this lucky last place then get in touch.

Also a reminder that applications for the Thorkild Hansen Scholarship Programme to attend this 8-week course closes on 1st August.  If you, or you know anyone who shows a talent for woodworking and fits the criteria to apply then please put forward an application.  Full details are here.

---

David Haig MNZM

Fantastic news on the King's Birthday Honours List to hear that David was awarded the title of Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to woodworking.  

Congratulations from everyone here who knows you Dave - we are super proud of you.

Here are a couple of excerpts from David's Instagram page whilst over the last six weeks he has been Artist in Residence at the Centre for Furniture Craftsmanship, Maine, USA.

"I have 4 weeks as Artist in Residence, followed by a two week Curvature class, which I will be co-teaching with the legendary Yuri Kobayashi.  As Yuri is also the senior Fellow in the Residency and Fellowship building, and my bench is right opposite hers, it means I have six full weeks alongside Yuri..a huge honour and real pleasure.

With the other Fellowship interns as well as the final two weeks of the Nine month programme coming to an end and all their students with their superb exhibition already up, it really is a feast for a woodworker and I’m absolutely loving it.  I'm working on a bench base I built 4 years ago during an earlier residency, (its beside me on the floor) but which I never felt was complete. So I'm working on fitting a simple back rest...well it'll look simple!

I also brought over a Hoop stool to have as an example for the Curvature class…it was interesting bringing it in its crate as extra baggage...there were a lot of different theories as to what it contained.  But I'm posting today for another reason.  On Monday, New Zealand time, the list of awards was made public in what was called the King's Coronation Honours List.  To my utter amazement, my name was on that list.  So I now have the letters after my name of being a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to Woodworking, which pleased me immensely as I've always thought of myself first and foremost as a woodworker.  Plus it's one of the basic craft disciplines that is often overlooked, so it also helps putting woodworking on the map.

Of course my first reaction was "Why me?".  There are better woodworkers out there, and some who've done a lot more than me in the field of, for instance, education.  But then again, I didn't choose this, so I must accept this with gratitude and leave it for others to decide the relative merits of this award.  Thanks for reading this far.....I am truly grateful and very honoured, but now I must get back to shaping......."

---

As always - nice to catch up with you all!
Thanks for taking the time to read what's been and is happening here.
Kind regards from the small but MIGHTY team.