March 10, Virtual Meeting

Our next meeing will be virtual, held on March 10, 2021.  Our featured speaker will be internationally known furniture maker Garrett Hack.  We look forward to seeing everyone on March 10.

About Garrett Hack

Garrett Hack is an internationally known furniture maker, educator, writer, and farmer from Thetford, Vermont. As a furniture maker of more than 40 years, he has created his own aesthetic with award winning designs that push his skills to the next level. He’s also an in-demand woodworking instructor, teaching classes in Germany, England, Austria, Italy, Spain, Canada, Australia, and Japan.  Hack has a great love of hand tools of all shapes and sizes, and uses them to great affect in everything he builds, sculpting delicate details by eye.He is a contributing editor at Fine Woodworking and has written two books,The Handplane Book and Classic Hand Tools

February 10, Virtual Meeting 7 PM

Our next meeting with be virtual, held on Wednesday, February 10, 2021.  Our featured speaker will be  woodcarver Mary May. Just a reminder to our members, please mute yourself upon entering the meeting to eliminate extraneous noises and unmute only when speaking.  We look forward to seeing everyone on February 10. 

About Mary May

Acclaimed for her ability to incorporate intricate details (think scrolls, shells, fleurs-de-lis, swirling waves, quatrefoils and ball-and-claw feet) into traditional furnishings and architectural implements, May’s repertoire ranges from iconic Charleston rice beds to the historic mantels she restores and reproduces for 18th-century residences throughout the peninsula–in period-appropriate styles such as Federal and Rococo.

Born in the Midwest to a carpenter father, May caught the carving bug while studying fine art and ceramics in London, where she was routinely awed by the ornamentation of surrounding palaces, country houses and cathedrals. Back home in Minneapolis, she apprenticed three years under Greek-born master carver Konstantinos Papadakis, who encouraged her to train under one of his contemporaries in Athens before she furthered her studies at the City & Guilds of London Art School. May’s work, mostly in wood but occasionally in stone, enjoys high demand in Charleston’s ecclesiastical and residential spheres; two of her loftiest commissions to date include slate memorial stones for the Holy City’s famed French Huguenot Church and a chimneypiece she meticulously restored with contractor Richard “Moby” Marks for a circa-1764 home on Legare Street.

January 13 Virtual Meeting 7 PM

Our next meeting will be virtual, held on Wednesday, January 13, 2021.  Our featured speaker will be Kathy Gillis.  With Conservator Kathy Z. Gillis as our guide, we will take an interactive tour of several current projects underway in the Furniture Conservation Laboratory at Winterthur Museum.  All members, please mute yourself upon entering the meeting to eliminate extraneous noises and unmute only when speaking.  We look forward to seeing everyone on January 13.

About Kathy Gillis

Kathy Gillis graduated from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (WUDPAC) in 1993. Kathy has worked with the furniture collections at Colonial Williamsburg, The J. Paul Getty Museum, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and served as the Head of Conservation at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Her research includes the European influences on American Furniture, Art Nouveau, Chinese and Indian export furniture, and John Henry Belter. Kathy was the World Monuments Fund Conservator in Residence for the fall 2018 semester of the CRAFT program in Beijing, China, co-sponsored by the Palace Museum and Tsinghua University. Kathy joined the Winterthur Museum staff on March 16, 2020.

December 9 Virtual Meeting 7 PM

Out next meeting will be virtual, held on Wednesday, December 9, 2020.  This month will feature Rich Hilsinger, Director of the Wooden Boat School.  There will also be a presentation from past president, Matt Kesetembaum on his new tool cabinet.  Club member Simon Stark will also give a presentation on his new tool cabinet as well.  All members, please mute yourself upon entering the meeting to eliminate extraneous noises and unmute only when speaking.  We look forward to seeing everyone on December 9.

About Rich Hilsinger

Originally from Philadelphia, Rich Hilsinger first arrived at WoodenBoat School as a student back in 1983, and he’s lived in Brooklin ever since. Rich managed the School shop for seven years and also enjoyed the opportunity to teach courses in kayak and small boat construction. Woodworking became a part of his life after college, and he’s dabbled in everything from house carpentry, restaurant and bar renovation, post-and-beam barn restoration, and cabinetry. The “boat bug” bit while Rich wintered in the Caribbean in the 1970’s. After sailing throughout the Caribbean and Europe for 3 years with the four-masted bark SEA CLOUD as ship’s carpenter, Rich returned to the U.S. and assisted on yacht deliveries; did boat repair; worked at North End Shipyard in Rockland and Brooklin Boat Yard; and purchased his own Crocker pocket cruiser MARTHA. He stepped into the position of WoodenBoat School Director in 1990 and has enjoyed bringing insight, energy, and full-time dedication to the well-known institution. When he is not involved with work at the School, Rich enjoys spending time with family and friends, sailing, gardening, reading, and cheering for all of Philadelphia’s professional sports teams.

November 11 Virtual Meeting 7PM

Our next meeting will be virtual, held on Wednesday, November 11, 2020 at 7:00PM.  On tap this month will be guest Rick Hearnes of Hearnes Hardwoods.  Rick is the owner of arguably one of the finest furniture grade lumber suppliers in our area, located in Oxford, PA.  He will discuss the growth, harvesting and supply of quality lumber.  Hearns also supplies a number of industries with wood, one being Martin Guitar.  Hearn’ s website is:  https://www.hearnehardwoods.com/

Next, our own Wilbur Pan  will present his class on dealing with tearout when using hand planes.  Wilbur is teaching this topic for an online class at  Kezurou-kai USA, and the CJWA membership will benefit from Wilbur’s consummate knowledge on this subject.

All members, please mute yourself upon entering the meeting to eliminate extraneous noise, and un mute when speaking.  Thank you and see you on Wednesday evening.

Bob