PORT TOWNSEND — This weekend’s ninth annual Port Townsend Woodworkers Show will display the possibilities of wood as functional art.
“We have more craftspeople per square inch in Port Townsend and East Jefferson County than anywhere else in the world,” said Tim Lawson, executive director of the Port Townsend School of Woodworking.
“We have exceptional craftspeople in this area and this event gives them the opportunity to show off their work.”
The free show will be 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.
30-plus exhibitors
More than 30 exhibitors will display a wide array of original designs in wood, including furniture, cabinetry, musical instruments, boats, carvings, sculpture, jewelry and turned pieces.
Lawson said the purpose of the show is to allow the public to connect with wood-based craftspeople, to allow them to showcase their world and to allow the public to commission the artists for custom work.
“This provides a connection between the community and the craftspeople,” he said.
Local legacy
“What we are seeing is the legacy of the Wooden Boat School, how the focus on working with wood has attracted many people to this area,” Lawson said.
While the marine trades draws people in, the woodworking school offers other options, he said.
“We do stuff that doesn’t get wet,” he said.
“Woodworking can be a good career path, but I don’t see people graduating from our school and going out in the community and getting jobs in local furniture shops, because those opportunities aren’t there.
“Instead, we train people how to work with wood and build their own business.”
In recent years, nearly 2,000 visitors have attended this two-day event.
It has become an eagerly anticipated part of Port Townsend’s yearly calendar, according to organizers.
SplinterGroup
It is sponsored by a specially configured coalition called the SplinterGroup.
Members include Lawson, Steve Habersetzer, Michael Hamilton, David Kellum, John Marckworth and Seth Rolland, who are assisted by local volunteers.
“The growing level of skill exhibited over the last nine years has encouraged our audiences to grow more sophisticated in their understanding and appreciation of woodworking techniques, the diversity of wood available to us in the Pacific Northwest and the rich culture of woodworking,” Hamilton said.
For more information, phone Lawson at 360-360-774-0024, email tim@ptwoodschool.com or visit www.splintergroup.org.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
