We just got back from the 12th Annual Texas Turn or Two Woodturning Syposium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The name of the event has actually changed to the Southwest Area Turners Symposium (SWAT), but I just can't cotton to this name change.
Paying attendance for this years event was 438 woodturners. This is now the 2nd largest gathering of woodturners in the United States, 2nd only to the National AAW event. I can not say enough about this great event. There were people from all over the US in attendance and to say the least they were very impressed from the comments that I heard.
Next years event has been tentatively scheduled to be held in Temple, Texas in early October. If you are a woodturner or just getting started, this is a great gathering of woodclass woodturners and incredible seminars over the two day period.
Our daughter Kelsey was busy selling woodturning software package called Woodturners Studio, that is used to layout segmented designs. She spent a great deal of time in their booth at last years event and became quite good at using the design software. So good in fact that the owner of the copmpany gave her a free copy of the software for her help during the two days!
Well this year she was again welcomed into their booth and proceeded to sell quite a few of these packages by giving demonstrations to attendees. It is quite a neat software package if you are interested in designing segmented turnings.
Well anyway if any of you have ever thought about attending a woodturners symposium, the Texas gathering has become one of the very best in the US. We will be back again next year for sure.