What an incredible experience!!!
The three days I spent in David Ellsworth's home and studio last week may have been one of the most transcendental experiences of my entire life. Forget the technical lessons in woodturning, just being in that house, with all of that incredible art, was amazing.
Imagine how great it was, coming in from working in the studio, back sore, and sitting in David's Maloof rocker. You can't really describe it or appreciate it until you've done it. How about the thrill of eating potato chips out of a bowl and having your host tell you it's a Richard Raffan piece?! Then proceed to tell you and show you how Richard's technique has improved since he made that bowl. Or sitting at the table, using Ellsworth salt and pepper shakers while staring, drooling, at three Osolnik candle sticks? Oh, and there were Moulthrop pieces, the first eccentric turning Escoulen ever did in the US, etc.!!!
My favorite part might have been hearing David tell stories about the crazy stuff he did with Moulthrop, Osolnik, Del Stubbs, John Jordan, etc. It was better than an education. It was like learning painting from Picasso and listening to him tell stories about Manet, Monet, Gaugin, Van Gogh, etc. There isn't anyone who's important in woodturning that David doesn't know and doesn't have a story about.
Not to mention that the guy and his wife were just about the nicest people in the world. I found it pretty incongruous to have this famous artist making eggs or burning English muffins. Yet they insisted that everyone eat their meals at their table as part of the learning experience.
The woodturning was phenomenal. David is much funnier and more animated in person than he is on his videos. And while his work has gotten pretty abstract over the years, his technique is absolutely flawless. He was like a Zen master, insisting that I close my eyes to "feel" the nub at the bottom of my hollow form in order to turn it away. He was incredibly patient, nice and helpful. He has the rare talent of being incredibly tolerant of those far less talented than he is. It was a pretty nice treat to turn on David's big Poolewood lathes with 3-phase power and dial-in speeds. I think my Jet may have irrevocably paled by comparison.
In adition to the hands on teaching, we also got a tour of his upstairs studio, which includes a full size pool table (apparently, David is quite a good nine-ball player) and examples of his work from the past four decades. He took the time to discuss every piece and to answer every question we had.
In a very real sense, I had the strong feeling that I was not worthy of the opportunity, that I was somehow taking the place of someone who would have gotten more out of it. However, over the course of the three days my skills improved exponentially, although there is still so much to learn, escpecially about how to "read" the wood.
I'm sorry, but I was too in awe to take any pictures. However, Jim Becker has a ton of pictures on his website, www.sawsndust.com, for those who want to see what it was like. Suffice it to say that if you ever have the chance, it is a pilgrimage well worth making.
Jack
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Suffice it to say that the rest of us are green with envy. But thanks Jack for sharing your incredible experience anyway. Now I'm going to have to come up with the bucks to go myself. 
I put "school" in quotes, as it seems it was much more than that! Heck, even your vivid account of the experience gave me chills! 
Yup...Kent said it best: Lucky duck! 
Thanks much for the sincere write-up. I really do envy you! 
