PORT TOWNSEND—The annual conference of a national trade group is scheduled to take place next year in Fort Worden State Park and will be the first such event under the auspices of the public development authority, it was announced Monday.
The Furniture Society’s yearly gathering is scheduled June 19-21 and will be hosted by the Port Townsend School of Woodworking, one of the key stakeholders of the Fort Worden Lifelong Learning Center Public Development Authority.
“This is a big deal. There will be more than 300 people attending,” said Tim Lawson, who co-founded the woodworking school and serves as its executive director, during a presentation Monday to about 50 people at the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce’s weekly meeting.
“It will be the first conference under the [public development authority], and we will have way too much fun with this.
“And I hope we can put a lot of pizzazz into this event.”
The conference of the Durham, N.C.-based Furniture Society will include 25 presenters from around the world, and has as its purpose developing ways to connect craftspeople with their community, Lawson said.
Lawson appealed to Chamber of Commerce members for their help in scheduling events for attendees that take advantage of Port Townsend’s strengths, and to provide activities that will encourage delegates to return.
Lawson said the woodworking school has succeeded beyond expectations since its founding five years ago, and predicts that it will grow in the next few years, expanding its 2,000-square-foot space at Fort Worden and adding a full time staff.
One of the most important aspects of woodworking is having the right tools, he said.
“A good tool needs to be sharp,” he said.
“I know that many people have bought a tool at Home Depot or somewhere and have taken it home, only to have the somewhat embarrassing experience of trying to make it work,” Lawson said.
“We’ve discovered that the first experience with a tool that is pristine and works perfectly changes the experience.”
Lawson joked that a good woodworking teacher shares the characteristics of a drug dealer: “If you make it easy for them, they will come back.”
Lawson said students attending the school are usually one of the “Four Gs” that he characterizes as geezers, geeks, gals and Gen-X.
“We have a lot of people who are coming up toward retirement age and want to develop new skills, and a lot of others who work in technology or law and want to learn to do something with their hands,” he said.
“We have one class that is 60 percent women, and our 12-week ‘foundation of woodworking’ course is good for young people who are trying to figure out what comes next in their lives.
“We want to encourage the next generation of craftspeople.”
Lawson said the school brings in $300,000 a year and supports itself. Fundraising efforts only are undertaken for scholarship purposes.
“When you bring people here for 12 weeks, it’s transformational for them and transformational for the school.”
For more information go to www.ptwoodschool.com.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
