Winter 2007 President's LetterFrom Angelo Iafrate... The meeting place was the Society of Arts and Crafts on trendy Newberry Street in Boston's brownstone district. The Society itself resides in an old brownstone and occupies both floors of the structure. It is bursting at the seams with great crafts from around the globe. Since the Society was hosting the CWA, a nice sampling of fine wood crafts was on display, including a healthy sprinkling of turned objects. Turnings by John May and Mark Nantz were in the window display along with John Skau's woven wooden baskets. Of all the turned work on display, my favorites were the turned ornamental boxes by Jon Sauer from California. We then drove to the Mobilia Gallery in Cambridge where we were treated to a lunch and gallery talk by two artists. The highlight of the day was a stop at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston where we viewed the new show of work that Ron and Anita Wornick donated to the MFA. There is nothing that I can say here to describe the incredible works of turned, turned and sculpted work, flat work, glass, and other precious art pieces that are included in the show. It just numbed the senses. If you are in Boston, stop in the MFA to take a look. You'd better plan to spend an hour at this exhibit alone. This full day of exposure to wood art and wood art collectors had a profound effect on me. Not only did I meet very interesting people, the experience caused me to stop and think about the turnings I have purchased and how I fit into the world of collectors. |
(Letter continued) I never considered myself a collector until I met Joe Seltzer of Pennsylvania, who collects work 6" and under in height. Other collectors have a penchant for jewelry and personal adornment. Still others collect only landmark pieces of significant value in wood, glass, clay, and other media. Me? Even though budget is always a factor, I rarely hesitate to buy a turned piece from a woodturner I have met through the AAW, or the work of a turner whose work appeals to me. The question of why a certain piece appeals to me crystallized during the CWA bus trip. Being a turner myself, I am always impressed with turning skill and the beauty of the wood. I especially like small, intimate turnings made from highly figured or exotic material. Why small pieces? Jacques Vesery explained it to me this way as he cupped his hands to simulate holding a small turning: We can all live with this, but we cannot all live with larger pieces. Jacques' is a good explanation. However, for me there is something more. Collecting turned pieces is a way for me to give back to the community of woodturners. So in this regard I guess I am classified as a collector, but it is not a label I was comfortable with when applied to me. After this weekend, I became a member of the Collectors of Wood Art. I joined, not because I see myself as a collector, but because collecting is another interesting facet of the woodturning world. Are you a collector? Angelo Iafrate |
