The San Jose Collection

[Baxter Smith]

After I heard Kathy Marshall was driving a truckload of Mesquite to the AAW Symposium,
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I loaded my suitcase with some wood and bought a plane ticket to San Jose!

It didn’t take me long to unload, reload, and then grab another piece for good measure.
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Being the greedy person that I am, I later even filled a flat rate box that Kathy was kind enough to drop off at the Post Office for me!

The next day in a little 3 way turning swap, I then managed to snag her sweet hollow form!
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Jim Adkins got stuck with one of my pieces.
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This ended up being a good thing, because the next day (in a moment of senility or perhaps it was some undercooked chicken),
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he offered to trade me a piece of his type of art,
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for my other two!
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Along with an “empty bowl” I picked up from Scott Clark, I came home with a haul
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that’s only exceeded by the memories of spending time with a couple great people!!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Great photos! I am sure the symposium was a lot of fun but like you mentioned... the very best part is being with friends!

Congrats on all the Mesquite and the turned art pieces! Looks like you made out quite well!!

[Rick Markham]

Wow Baxter! Now that's what I call a gloat! I will have to say Kathy has the best license plate!! Thats an awesome piece by her too! Awesome piece by Jim Adkins too, I can think of worse things than "getting stuck" with one of your turnings. I think Jim made a good trade, it's hard to argue with those three beautiful turnings.

[charlie knighton]

thanks for the update, looks like yall had an enjoyable time, great haul

what demo's did you like the best?

[Baxter Smith]

Thanks, we had a great time!

It seemed to be the typical symposium Charlie. Not enough time to see all the demo's you might have liked, not enough time in the instant gallery and special exhibits, not enough time in the trade show checking out all the possibilities, and not enough time just talking with all the nice people you met. Will just have to try and do better next time!

Joey Richardson was the first demo on air brushing. I was interested in just learning how to use one. She soon went way beyond what I could remember, but it did give me an understanding about how some amazing work is colored.

Sara Robinson was the second demo on spalting your own wood. She was promoting controlling your spalting and staining by growing your own fungi under controlled conditions rather than just hoping for something random to happen. You can order fungi that will color your wood from her campus. 100$ will get enough to get you enough to get started on one color. Feed it once a year and keep it in the refrigerator until you need a little bit of it.

Dixie Biggs was a good one on adding texture and color.

Went to two J Paul Fennel hollow form demo's.

Brian MCevoy on deep hollowing. It was interesting to watch and check out the tool design.

Ashely Harwood on rim and foot desig was good as well.

Tried to miss one each day just to spend more time in the instant gallery and trade show.

[Kathy Marshall]

I had a great time in San Jose! It was great meeting and spending some time with Baxter and his wife Melody. It was also great to meet Jim Adkins, Alan Trout, Jerry Prosise, John Beaver and Robo hippy.
I managed to pawn a bunch of mesquite and carob off on Baxter, but he managed to fill up the empty spot in my truck with some spalted beech and holly.
Both Jim and Baxter's pieces looked even better in person and I'd say they both made out very well in their trade!

[Norm Zax]

I am green with envy. Well done sir!