Turnings from class

[John K Jordan]

I did these during a week-long class with Clay Foster and the other John Jordan. (At the Appalachian Center for Craft) This was my 3rd class ever.

The class wasn't necessarily focused on making a finished something or even developing new turning skills, but more on considering different ways to look at things and learning to think and experiment outside our safe zones. We played with paint, dye, fire, hammered steel, egg shells, concrete, plastic, wire, paper, feathers, and mud. I came away with my little brain crammed full of enough new ideas about form, material, color, and texture to experiment for years. Everyone in the class was considerate and sharing as well as an accomplished turner. We stayed knee deep in shavings. What a great week!

We were also challenged to think about containers, not simply as wooden vessels but perhaps as metaphors. I thunk and sketched and thunk and turned this small ebony box (about 2.75 dia), maple lid, coke (the blacksmith kind), dogwood stand, wire.




It was suggested we turn a small bowl with a wide rim to experiment with surfaces. This is from green maple (about 6"), carving on rim filled with milk paint and sanded, milk paint inside with several layers dry brushed. Unfinished in both turning and surface.



This simple experiment leads to lots of ideas. Next step is to acquire some milk paint.


Several fine turners glued things including egg shells into a recess then lightly sanded. This one was my favorite. (Not my work)




Clay and John:





JKJ

[Doug Ladendorf]

Sounds like a wonderful class and those are some pretty great pieces.

[tom martin]

Very nice John! I could use a week like that. I've been turning long enough that my pieces have become very predictable. I have to ask, what does a class like that run?
Thanks,
Tom

[John K Jordan]

Very nice John! I could use a week like that. I've been turning long enough that my pieces have become very predictable. I have to ask, what does a class like that run?

Tom,

There are week-long classes and long weekend classes at the Appalachia Center for Craft. Arrowmont and John C Campbell have similar classes. The cost would depend on if you wanted a room and meals too which about doubles the cost and some have materials costs. Best thing is to check the web sites for the schools for week-long classes and see what the usual/latest costs are. There were people at ACC who came from Denver, West Virginia, Mississippi, TN, Georgia, and more.

This particular class was incredible. It did have a prerequisite of reasonably advanced skills and signup was by invitation. Clay posted on another forum that anyone who wanted to be considered for the next one (which they plan on doing when they can find the right venue) should send him an email. They would want to see photos of your work. I think you can contact Clay through his web site but send me a note if you have trouble.

Or you can come visit my shop in TN and stay for a few days. I have plenty of lathes and it won't cost anything. Any time I spend time with another artist/craftsman/designer we both are guaranteed to learn something!

JKJ

[David Delo]

Creative and very well done pieces John. Looks like a good time was had by all.

[Richard Casey]

John, that ebony box is special. Is that the natural colour of Dogwood?
Rgds,
Richard.

[John K Jordan]

John, that ebony box is special. Is that the natural colour of Dogwood?
Rgds,
Richard.

Thanks, the ebony was a clarinet bell blank. I wish I had bought more!

Yes, the flowering dogwood here is almost always creamy white. The heartwood is very small and medium to dark brown. This little box and top both have a streak of the heartwood.

dogwood_box.jpg top_dogwood_nosanding_small.jpg

I have had some with streaks of pink and light brown through the sapwood but that, in my experience, is rare.

The wood warps a LOT when drying. The heartwood and sapwood shrink at such different rates that the pieces with both often warp horribly and split without special care and some luck. A dogwood round left to dry will often split quickly leaving 10-20 degree splits all the way to the pith.

Dogwood is one of my favorites to turn since it is quite hard, strong, and very fine grained. Small things, like the little finger top above often need no sanding (if my hand is steady enough!). Dogwood does take a long time to dry before it is stable. The dogwood I'm using now I cut and put up for air drying in 2006.

JKJ

[John K Jordan]

I forgot to say that dogwood, like most woods, does darken with age but not as quickly as some woods. The little top was from a piece that started out darker than normal. It is close to some hard maple I've had but usually lighter, most often darker than good holly.

i've made pieces with dogwood + bloodwood - they look good together since dogwood often has a faint creamy pink cast.

JKJ

[Ron Stadler]

Really like the pieces, thanks for sharing, gives me more ideas.

[Joe Kieve]

First 3 pictures are beautiful...nice work! You probably could have left the last picture off though. Who wants to see a bunch of old men sitting around drinking coffee. Just kidding. I'm sure you enjoyed the class and the fellowship of kindred minds.