Worldwide Woodturning Outreach

World Wood Day - 2020 in Tokyo

The 2020 World Wood Day (WWD) celebrations scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan in March were unfortunately cancelled at the last minute due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The pandemic was still ravaging the world unabated in March this year and the International Wood Culture Society (IWCS) decided to hold the WWD virtually.  Instead of holding all the programs during one week’s time as in the past, the IWCS decided to hold a few programs at a time on weekends only, spreading out over a few months.  Woodturning demonstrations were among the programs held on the weekend of March 20.  The theme of the 2021 WWD is CO2 and Wood.  The woodturning artists that weekend were Theo Haralampou from Queensland, Australia, Mike Mahoney from California, USA, Joanne Sauvageau from Alberta, Canada, Alan/Lauren Zenreich from New Jersey, USA and Hassan El Farissi from Morocco.  The demonstration on a traditional foot-powered lathe of a Chinese woodturner Li Xuemin was also streamed in June.  The videos of these demonstrations can be viewed through links at http://www.worldwoodday.org/2021/regions_event/41.

World Wood Day - 2019 in Austria

2019 World Wood Day took place in Austria at the Austrian Open Air Museum Stübing and Graz, during March 19th - 24th. To promote and popularize woodturning craft and arts, 14 woodturning artists from 7 countries were invited to the Woodturning Demonstration program during the event. Woodturners from Austria, France, Kuwait, Puerto Rico and USA presented their extraordinary skills and unique techniques by using modern electric lathes. Their exquisite woodturning works wowed audiences of all ages.

In addition to modern lathes, traditional wooden lathes and skills from Austria, Morocco and the United Kingdom were also demonstrated. The simple and practical form together with the original human-powered traditional wooden lathes reveal the great ingenuity of ancient people.

There are also mini-lathes for children to experience the fun of woodturning under the guidance of professional teachers from the Cool Tool. Through this hands-on approach, children had a closer and deeper understanding of wood and woodturning.

The woodturners also helped to turn the tower-shaped wood components for the Forest Totems exhibition. The totems are combinations of wood carving panels that were gathered from individual woodcarvers from all over the world. The turned components connected and decorated all these beautiful totems and made them brand new art pieces.

Video Link: 2019 WWD Woodturning Demonstration

World Wood Day - 2019 Stockmuehle Reconstruction (Watermill project)

A water mill called Stockmuehle was reconstructed by a team of well-known international and Austrian carpenters led by the Austrian Open-Air Museum during the 2019 World Wood Day event. A duplicate of the "Pahl'' mill was built with historical tools and techniques and exhibited at the Austrian Open-Air Museum. The massive shaft of the mill was turned on two modern lathes linked together to accommodate the length of the shaft.

Video Link: 2019 WWD Stockmuehle Reconstruction (For Woodturners)

World Wood Day - 2018 in Cambodia

10 woodturners from 8 countries were invited to the woodturning program during the 2018 World Wood Day. Woodturners from Australia, France, Israel and Kuwait presented their extraordinary skills using modern electric lathes. Local woodturners brought their huge lathes to the venue and showed the works in their daily life. Two Chinese traditional lathes, a foot-powered lathe and a bow lathe, were presented by the intangible cultural heritage bearer Master Li Xuemin. The traditional foot-turning of Morocco demonstrated different skills. An interesting human-powered lathe was demonstrated by Andy Chen from the USA. Audiences were given opportunities to interact with woodturners and try all different lathes themselves. There were some mini-lathes for children to experience the fun of woodturning.

The woodturners also produced some local style wooden towers on site. These wooden towers were combined with wood carvings from around the world to form new artworks.

Video Link: 2018 WWD Woodturning Demonstration

World Wood Day - 2018 in Laos

Eight woodturners from Australia, China, Morocco, USA and Laos were invited to do demonstrations during the 2018 World Wood Day Celebration in Vientiane, Lao PDR, during 29th - 31st March 2018. Theodoros Haralampou presented his extraordinary skills using modern electric lathes and made some amazing spinning tops and goblets with the diameter of only 6mm. An interesting human-powered lathe was demonstrated by Andy Chen from the USA. If you want to get a spinning top, you need to provide your labor to power the lathe. Local woodturners brought their huge lathes to the venue and showed how they turned stair handrail and table legs with this machine in their workshop. A Chinese traditional wooden lathe was presented by the intangible cultural heritage bearer Master Li Xuemin. It is amazing that the lathe could change into a real wheelbarrow when he put the wheel on the lathe. The traditional foot-turner, Hassan El Farissi from Morocco demonstrated different skills. He used a homemade lathe and demonstrated the traditional turning of Morocco with both hands and feet. The special way of working fascinated audiences. There were some mini-lathes for children to experience the fun of woodturning under the guidance of woodturner Su Jinyong. Audiences were given opportunities to interact with woodturners.

World Wood Day - 2017 in the US

It was really an enjoyable week to have 13 woodturners doing the onsite demonstration, instant exhibition and an open session during the 2017 World Wood Day in Long Beach, California, March 21 - 26. This year's woodturning program was the largest and most diverse one compared with our previous WWD woodturning activities.

The two traditional Chinese lathes, the foot-powered lathe and the bow lathe, together with the intangible cultural heritage bearer Master Li Xuemin, traveled all the way from China to Long Beach for the event. Mr. Murray Lincoln, a traditional lathe advocate from Canada, demonstrated the spring pole/treadle lathe and was always ready to give the explanation with great enthusiasm. Andy Chen from the US also gave a fine demo on a human-powered lathe. Interests in the ancient lathes are growing among the younger generation. Meanwhile, the other invited turners from the AAW demonstrated a great deal of various objects. Our participants from other programs and the audience of all ages enjoyed their time at the woodturning area. They watched the demonstration, took photos of the exhibited works, shared experience with the turners, tried the ancient lathes, played with the spinning tops and whistles, got mallets, bracelets and pendants, tops, balls and bowls, and listened to the talks.

Thank you so much for all the efforts, contributions and support from demonstrators, local volunteers, donors and chapter members.

Video Link: 2017 WWD Woodturning Demonstration

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