February 2024 Newsletter
Cheril Barber
Happy February !
The holidays are almost over and it seems like everyone is starting to settle back into a more routine pace of life. Here in Nelson the summer has been glorious and the sea a very nice temperature to dip in and cool off at the end of the working day.
Apparently there is a school of thought that the first thing you should do when returning from a holiday break is to plan the next one. So with that in mind, it seems like a good time to tempt you with our 2024 short course programme to help plan your visit to sunny Nelson and spend some time with us in our wonderful workshop (referred to by many of our students as “their happy place”).
If you are intending to take a break with your significant other there are options here in Nelson for creative events and classes that might occupy them whilst you are making wood shavings.....courses in jewellery, ceramics and textiles springs to mind Ask and if we can help we will. Also with a bit of forward planning don't forget to check out some good flight deals on Grabaseat - Nelson is one of the busiest airports in Aotearoa so there's often a bargain to be had.
Looking forward to seeing you here......
Michael Fortune Artist in Residency Programme
We are just over half way though this exciting 6 week residency programme with Michael Fortune at the helm and Lou Fuller second in command. Will Bayliss is here as support crew / technician / teaching assistant - and along with Valentin Botcazou our incredible intern - what a highly talented multi-generational team indeed!
The workshop is buzzing - Michael has encouraged everyone to not constrain their designs by thinking about the construction first, but rather design a form that you like and then figure out how to make it, and working thoroughly through the design process.
The great thing about Michael's residencies here are that everyone is not only invested in their own individual projects, but are encouraged to look up from their bench and engage in what other participants are working on. Demonstrations and discussions involve everyone and new techniques and methods are shared and experienced by all.
In our next newsletter we will share more about the student work that has emerged from this exciting programme.
Very early stages of planning but Michael will return to us in Autumn 2025 to teach his very successful Apprenticeship Programme.
Watch this space but of course if you are keen get in touch sooner.
The exhibition of work from the graduates of 2023 Furniture Makers’ Programme was a roaring success!
We are so very proud of what they achieved in our 32-week full time programme. Over twenty pieces of work were exhibited alongside the work of established artists presenting sculpture, art and paintings at the Parker Gallery – beautifully curated by Leonie Allen with a total of six pieces of work being sold (out of only 10 available for sale).
Here is the link to the virtual tour of the gallery and the full 2023 gallery of photos are now available here on our website.
We are now taking expressions of interest for the 2025 Furniture Makers' Programme with enrolments already being accepted. Our visiting tutors are booked and the 2025 Prospectus will be available soon. Please get in touch if you would like further details or would like to arrange a visit.
There are a couple of spaces left in our and Dovetail Box Making courses with Lou Fuller in mid March as well as the Table Making course with Tony Clark which is running at the same time.
Both courses run for a convenient 6-day period of time, and are project based designed to logically follow on from our 2-week Introduction to Fine Woodworking course to further extend your skills.
If you are keen to understand more the curious and unimaginable art of bending and curving wood then note there is a space on our Intro to Bending Wood course at the beginning of April - Lou Fuller will let you loose in the workshop with all things bendy and open up your mind to future design possibilities.
Get in touch if you would like to join us.
What an absolute treat for the students who are here with us on the Residency Programme.
David Haig bought in his latest "Signature" rocking chair made from American Cherry & English Rippled Sycamore - the first time he has ever used this combination of timbers and what an exquisite choice he has made.
Just stunning.
Obviously the photo with it on our front deck and sitting on a woollen rug to protect it, doesn't do it justice but just wanted to share it with you.
Another earlier version of David's "Signature" rocking chair is part of
The Chair: A story of design and making in Aotearoa, curated by Kim Paton at ObjectSpace in Ponsonby.
108 chairs, 170 years, 81 designers and makers, 13 of them unknown.
The premise of this exhibition is simple. One object type – the chair – explored from the earliest documented period of local production through to today – do go and see it if you are in Auckland before it closes on 3rd March – highly recommend it. David Haig & John Shaw will be involved in a series of floor talks on the final weekend.
We are excited to be involved in 6 weeks of events to share (Tuku) Nelson's unique stories of people & place.
Our short courses involved in this event are Plane Making, Intro to Bending Wood and Woodworking Basics. This will be a great opportunity for locals to come and check out what goes on here in the north Nelson hillside and we will be flinging the doors open for The Big Open Day.
More soon......
Hape Kiddle's wonderous carving courses are starting to fill up so if you are considering joining us here in June to spend some time carving a Mobius, Seed Pod or Netsuke then please get in touch.
Hape is also currently developing a 4-day follow on course for those students who have attended his courses and are looking to extend their skills. More news on this to follow in our next catch up.
Hope you enjoyed the catch up
Warm regards from
The CFW Team