A central part of any Symposium is the demonstrations. As the size
of the conference grew, so did the number of sessions. In the end
there were over 50 demonstrations, panel discussions, open meetings,
or informal critiques. Some of the subjects consisted of hollow
vessels, carving, chatter work, design, production techniques, multiple
axis turning, applying to galleries, taking slides, spindle turning,
the teaching of woodturning, and a potter's perspective of vessel
form. The demonstrators included Dale Nish, John Jordan, Tom Neff,
Giles Gilson, Stoney Lamar, James Johnson, Steve Loar, Frank Cummings,
David Ellsworth, Bonnie Klein, Tommy Sorenson, Paul Pitts, and many
other fine demonstrators. We also witnessed living history with
Jay Weber and Clay Compton, two turners with many, many years of
experience on the lathe.
If your interest in attending a conference was to see examples of turning, you had ample
opportunities. There were three separate exhibits from which to choose. As a tribute
to five years ago, there was a juried exhibition, "Vision and Concept II," which
included 78 pieces from 67 turners. This was one of but a few national shows that
contained all juried pieces. There were no invited turners in this exhibit. The show
had its official opening on the first evening of the Symposium and was a focal point
of interest throughout the conference. This exhibition will run until December 8, 1990
in the Arrowmont Gallery.
All demonstrators were asked to bring examples of their work, and these comprised a second
exhibition of the conference. As always, the Instant Gallery was overwhelming. The fine
work brought by both familiar and "unknown" turners was a delight to behold. On the final
day of the conference, Steve Loar, Frank Cummings, and David Ellsworth conducted
an informal critique of the Instant Gallery.
Another feature was the trade show of woodturning products, where a dozen businesses and
individuals had something to sell. If you were looking to buy a lathe, turning tools,
videos, books, exotic wood blanks or just thick pieces of domestic wood, this was the
place to visit.
At every symposium, we hold an auction to benefit the AAW Educational Fund. This year,
we tried something a little different. We held a "silent auction" for pieces of wood
that continued for most of the conference, plus we had the auctioneer Bob Fleming from
West Virginia who managed to extract over 7,000 dollars from those in attendance. In this
auction, the most numerous items were well-turned pieces from demonstrators and AAW
members. Also, several businesses donated products or very special pieces of wood to
benefit the fund. There were also other pieces of wood, t-shirts from the early days
of the AAW, and a couple of the first Journals signed by all AAW Board members. We
thank everyone who donated items to either auction and to the many who purchased items.
We ended the activities with a blow-out picnic and dance in the national park. Even
though we all had a full and tiring week, we ended on a good note.
Why go to a conference? It is certainly not for hard and fast skill building, but
rather to immerse yourself in woodturning by watching and listening, through discussions
(sometimes around the clock), by seeing the works of others or having other turners
comment upon our work, to see the tools and woods that are often only experienced in a
catalog, and to find old friends and maybe make some new ones (who understand your
passion for turning when those around you may not). For variety and breadth of activities,
this Symposium must rank at the very top in the short history of the AAW.
This Symposium is now history; and because of the growth of the AAW, we will probably
not be able to return to Arrowmont for a national conference. Once again, we apologize
to all of you who wished to attend but were unable because of the space limitations.
For the future, we are committed to sites which will accommodate very large groups, and
we can expand the activities to allow all who wish to attend.
The next symposium is only a few months away and will be held in Texas the early part of
April. Hope to see many of you there and be prepared for another blowout event.
Excerpted from
American Woodturner, Volume 5, Number 2, December 1990.
Report of Gatlinburg Symposium