PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend Woodworkers Show is back this weekend.
The 18th annual Port Townsend Woodworkers Show will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the American Legion Hall, 209 Monroe St.
Admission to the show is free, and attendees can see work from new and returning woodworkers who will be showing furniture, luthiery, cabinetry, turning and sculpture.
The event is put on by the Splinter Group, a coalition of woodworkers from Port Townsend.
“The show is always a deep reminder of the depth of craftsmanship and passion for wood that we have in Jefferson County,” said Tim Lawson, one of the organizers.
“Those were some of the main reasons that Jim Tolpin, John Marckworth and I founded the Port Townsend School of Woodworking.”
This year several of the exhibitors are recent graduates of the Port Townsend School of Woodworking’s three- and nine-month intensive programs, organizers said.
One of the graduates, Lorin Seeks — who is showcasing new work — said it took some soul searching for him to fulfill his passion for fine woodworking.
“It was really hard to switch careers, especially with two young kids and all,” he said. “I feel really grateful to have a partner that’s so supportive.”
Lorin has started his own business, Seeks Woodworks, which is at 527 Blue Ridge Road in Port Townsend and at www.seekswoodworks.com.
He said about the upcoming show: “It’s fun seeing friends following their passion, and the show is good for small businesses. It’s helpful to exhibit my work and get my name out there.”
Another student, Otto Kildegaard, got his start in residential carpentry but decided to pursue fine woodworking.
The first step in forging that path was to move to the area and attend classes at the school, which is located at Fort Worden.
“The school is clearly a space that has a lot of legacy to it, but there are also new teachers who are moving it forward. The classes were fantastic and incredibly immersive,” he said.
“Working with such a beautiful, yet imperfect material like wood, you are partly held back, but you can draw out its best qualities,” Kildegaard added.
For more information, go to www.splintergroup.org.
