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Thread: Lidded Bowls at JCC Folk School

  1. #1
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    Oct 2007
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    Lidded Bowls at JCC Folk School

    Last week I had 10 fantastic folks in my Lidded Bowl class at John C Campbell Folk School. Their age ranged from 56 to 86. None had done anything like the class objective/project and several had limited experience in turning. The class focus was on the principles of lift, flow, proportions, smooth transitions and classic form. We covered not only vessel form and design, but the concept of a golden spiral curve on the knob. We covered acrylic texturing and some pyro work, as well as texturing with the Sorby system and knurling. It was challenging for all of them. We had a ball and they rose to meet the challenge head on as evidenced by the pics below. Two of the students had to leave before the Friday exhibit, so their work is not shown. I have redacted last names and locations of the students.

    Congrats to my students and a big thanks to the Folk School for a great studio and staff, and to fellow creeker and friend, Bob Henrickson, for serving as my able assistant for extended hours during the week. We returned to the studio on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings and produced enough shavings to fill a horse barn!

    I must also add that my wife completed a beautiful quilt top in her class. We have been to the Folk School many times as students and I have taught there since 2014. The Folk School will absolutely change you. If you haven't been, you need to put it on your "must do" list.
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Lewiston, Idaho
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    Nice work by your students John!
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  3. Wonderful collection of lidded bowls! Teacher's influence definitely shows in the results. I would love to have that opportunity someday, John......maybe it will work out sometime in the future.
    Remember, in a moments time, everything can change!

    Vision - not just seeing what is, but seeing what can be!




  4. #4
    Amazing work!!!... I love the Ambrosia Maple bowl in the second picture. I'm not sure if the lid in the picture fits both bowls? ....but I really like the shape of it lid or no lid.

  5. #5
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    Oct 2006
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    Harvey, Michigan
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    Really nice work by all your students! I know you love to teach, so have to wonder, who has more fun at these events - the students or the teacher?
    Steve

    “You never know what you got til it's gone!”
    Please don’t let that happen!
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  6. #6
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    Feb 2012
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    Haubstadt (Evansville), Indiana
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    Those are beautiful. The JCC Folk School is on my list of to do next year. Be great to learn from a master like you.
    When working I had more money than time. In retirement I have more time than money. Love the time, miss the money.

  7. #7
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    Oct 2007
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    Central KY
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    On behalf of the students and the Folk School, thanks guys!! And, yes, Steve, I do love teaching and the Folk School is the perfect environment - non-competitive and just a really beautiful campus of nearly 400 acres. It is quite fulfilling to see 10 folks start the week with a look of apprehension on their faces when we go thru the initial PowerPoint Sunday evening, and by Tuesday the light comes on and they are grasping the concepts and getting excited.
    Quote Originally Posted by Barry McFadden View Post
    Amazing work!!!... I love the Ambrosia Maple bowl in the second picture. I'm not sure if the lid in the picture fits both bowls? ....but I really like the shape of it lid or no lid.
    Barry, Hugh brought to the class a very nice 8/4 Ambrosia blank and asked about using it for a lid on a cherry bowl. The blank would have needed to be resawn and I suggested it was a shame to use it for a lid, although it would have worked well, but instead encouraged him to try an ogee bowl - something he had not attempted before. That form is actually the subject of a weekend class I teach in January, but he had already done a very nice job on the class project of a lidded bowl and I wanted him to continue learning. The pic below is a crop from a poor quality pic of the overall display, but it does show the profile of the bowl. I should have taken a better side view profile as it is very well done.
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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Keeton View Post
    Last week I had 10 fantastic folks in my Lidded Bowl class at John C Campbell Folk School.
    Very nice, it must feel great!! I especially like the look of the first one (Brad) - the use of form, color, and texture just grabs me. I'd buy it in a heartbeat! (How did he do the lid texture?)

    I like the handle shapes too. From the theme going in the set I suspect those handles have a bit of Keeton creative inspiration behind them!

    I love the atmosphere, the campus, and huge variety of things going on at once at JCC. I love walking around the place and dropping in on the carving, fiber arts, blacksmithing, paper art, ceramics, and more. I was even inspired the last time by the incredible things the needle felting class was doing! When I was there the woodturning and other classes also held open evening demonstration sessions for interested people from other classes.

    For anyone who hasn't been to JCC I can promise it will be worth it. I won a week's class at our turning club raffle this year but I traded it for a week at Arrowmont. If I win another, I think I'll head south this time.

    BTW, if anyone is looking for a an interest-generator for their turning club consider holding a raffle for one of the craft schools. The Knoxville club has a $2 ticket drawing each month for both JCC and Arrowmont and it gets a LOT of activity. The monthly winners are put into a hat in December for one scholarship to each school for the following year. I'm sure our coordinator would be glad to tell how they set this up.

    JKJ

  9. #9
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    Oct 2007
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    Central KY
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    John, living in close proximity to JCC as you do would be nice! But, I am afraid I would spend too much time there. I do like your idea of selling raffle tickets on a chance to win the scholarship certificate. Bob Henrickson and I tried in past years to convince our board to do something similar without much success.

    Brad is detail oriented and he did an excellent job on his piece. The texturing was done with acrylic mediums and tissue paper - a technique I learned from Ed Kelle some years ago and with his permission I share it with my students. It is easy to do, although there are some nuances to the technique that benefit from having seen it done. The colors are added with acrylic paints.

    The knob/handle was perhaps the most challenging part of this class. Doing it right requires an eye for proportions as well as an understanding of the nautilus curve, or golden spiral that occurs in nature and for which the mathematics are attributed to Fibonacci. Compound that with good tool control in deep spindle cuts and the result can be very pleasing.

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  10. #10
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    Feb 2008
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    Thanks! The texturing looked similar to some things I learned from spending time with Clay Foster. I love the look. I needs to tryzit myself now!

    Maybe some numbers from our club about how much money the raffles bring in would help. I can get some if you are interested. (We have about 60 members)

    JKJ

  11. #11
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    Oct 2007
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    Central KY
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    John, I sent you an email. Also, if you can get some numbers on the raffle idea that would be great.

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  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Hampton Roads, Virginia
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    894
    Wow, that's impressive! You've shown your teaching skills here on The Creek, great to see what you are doing in the real world.
    RD

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Winchester, IN
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    165
    John, those are fabulous pieces. I just registered for your weekend class on ogee bowls in late January and my wife registered for a corresponding knitting class. We are very much looking forward to this weekend.

  14. #14
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    Oct 2007
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    Central KY
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    Tim, you and your wife are going to enjoy JCC! Usually, the January classes are not as full and while that means I may not have an assistant, it can sometimes provide a better teaching opportunity. I look forward to meeting you!

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