April 2009 AAW Board Letter
Three years ago, the POP (Professional Outreach Program) was launched by the AAW board. As one of the inaugural committee members, I must be honest that in the beginning we had little clue what we were doing - we only knew we needed to do something to help the members who wanted to move beyond the amateur level to become professional woodturners. Toward this end, we created our mission statement: "The mission of the Professional Outreach Program is to promote a greater understanding of professionalism within the field of contemporary woodturning." We began building from that mission statement and I believe we have come a long way since. If you are on the fence about coming to Albuquerque, I hope the following events will inspire you to send in your registration and make plans to head to New Mexico this summer. In addition to the outstanding US and International demonstrators that are lined up, we have rotations free of flying wood chips organized by POP. Attending won’t get your hands and clothes dirty, but it will get your creative juices flowing. I don’t have sufficient space to list all the POP rotations, but here are a few to wet your appetite:
In case you missed our Resident Artist program in Richmond last year, in Albuquerque we will introduce this year’s Resident Artist: Jean Francois Escoulen. That’s right, he is French, but he sure does know how to turn! You may be asking, “so what is a Resident Artist anyway?” The short answer is he has one rotation only but it lasts 3 days. The Resident Artist will design a fairly complex project, which will begin on the first day and be completed by the end of the symposium. The project will then be auctioned off. Speaking about auctions…how about the Instant Gallery? WOW!!! It just keeps getting better and better every year…not to mention we will have several awards for the pieces in the Instant Gallery:
|
If 800 to 1000 pieces in the Instant Gallery are still not enough for your hungry eyes, how about the POP Exhibit “The Spindle”, a special feature exhibit of Gary Knox Bennett and Merryll Saylan and the AAW juried exhibit “Spirit of the Southwest”. I have been invited and also attended many Regional symposiums and, make no mistake about it, they are all outstanding symposiums - well run and featured superb presenters. Many people tell me they like Regional symposiums better, due to their smaller size, making it easier to get around and still have the same quality of demonstration. “Why fight the crowd, stay with the Regional”, they say. So what’s missing? The crowd! You never know for certain who is in the crowd. I can tell you a secret, shared by professional woodturners…there are many collectors, gallery owners, curators and just more buyers in the crowd than all the Regional symposiums combined. At the 1998 AAW Symposium in Akron, Ohio, I saw a del Mano Gallery business card by the side of my piece in the Instant Gallery, with the note from Ray Leier, which read: “I am interested in your works, call me.” I still remember that feeling today and my relationship with the gallery grew out of that moment. If I haven’t come to the AAW symposium that year I might not be where I am today in my turning career. EXPOSURE is the word – if you’ve worked hard to create great work all year, the annual AAW Symposium is the place to gain the right exposure. …Still want more? Donate a piece to the EOG auction and send a picture in ahead of time. The top 65 pieces will go on to the live auction on Saturday night. Before heading to symposium, please note The POP Fellowship Grant deadline is approaching. Do not pass up this opportunity which can possibly further your woodturning career. Details and application requirements can be found in the POP section of the AAW website, located here. This grant will be awarded in 2010. Your next opportunity to apply will be due June of 2011 and awarded in 2012. What is the POP Fellowship Grant? The purpose of this Grant is to encourage creative growth, research, or to provide inspiration for new directions in turned wood art. An applicant might be interested in pushing their work creatively in a new direction, working in collaboration with another artist, exploring new materials, a new way of using existing materials, etc. The only limit to what ‘might’ be explored is one’s imagination. POP Fellowship Grants are offered every other year and are funded by proceeds from POP exhibits and auctions plus the annual auction at our national conference. Learn more by clicking here. Any further information or guidance not found here can be obtained by contacting any POP committee member. The POP (Professional Outreach Program) has come a long way since it was founded three years ago. A very heart-felt thanks to David Ellsworth and Jacques Vesery. They are holding the chair position back to back for the committee since day one. We’ve found a way to serve those who are interested in pursuing a career as a professional in woodturning and now you know what we’re doing. Join us at the AAW Symposium in Albuquerque and let us help you see how far woodturning can take you! See you in Albuquerque in June... |
from Binh Pho...