Uxbridge Library Exhibition

Liesl and I are having a joint exhibition at the Uxbridge library .  The opening reception is on Thursday April 11th.  The exhibition will take place on the third floor of the library.  We will transform the beautiful historic room into a temporary gallery.

North Bennet Street School

Last week I visited the North Bennet Street School in Boston's north end.  I was given a tour of the facilities and met some of the faculty.  The school is so steeped in tradition and history. North Bennet offers classes in cabinetmaking, preservation carpentry, piano technology, jewelry making, violin making, bookbinding and locksmithing.  When I was there the students of the two year full-time cabinet making program were busy working on windsor chairs.

North Bennet Street School was incorporated in 1885 in Boston's North End as North Bennet Street Industrial School.

The school's founding mission was to enable immigrants to adjust to their new country by learning the skills needed for gainful employment. Pauline Agassiz Shaw, the school's founder, was committed to teaching the wide variety of skills needed for immigrants to succeed. Through various social services, such as educating children in the kindergarten, recreational activities and prevocational and trade training, the school helped generations of Boston's immigrants make productive lives in their new homeland. Over the years, vocational training classes were offered in pottery, printing, sewing, sheet metal work and watch repair as well as the carpentry, cabinet making and jewelry making classes that remain today.

North Bennet Street School has evolved over its more than one hundred year history while retaining its core commitment to train individuals for employment using time-honored methods and skills.

North Bennet teaches and upholds the principles and practices of the craftsmanship tradition — including skillful use of hand tools and power equipment, informed choice of materials, creative problem-solving grounded in knowledge of the best practices of the craft and a dedication to the highest quality work. 

Students in the cabinet and furniture making program learn the fundamental skills needed to make the full range of furniture types. Projects are typically based on traditional 18th- and 19th-century furniture designs because traditional models require the hand-skills and woodworking techniques that are the foundation of the NBSS curriculum.

This photo shows instructor Steve Brown with a student.

The Eliot School

Last week I visited The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain.  The Eliot School offers classes in crafts and fine arts for all ages.  The school has been around since 1676 when thirty-eight residents of Jamaica plain donated land to support a school.  For two centuries the school educated Africans, Native Americans and colonial children from John Eliot, local farmer and Apostle to the Indians. 

In the late 19th century the school turned its focus to the arts.  " Manual Arts," traditionally practiced at home, were disappearing in modern cities.  Called on to supplement Boston's public school offerings, the Eliot School taught woodworking, cooking and more.  Manual training schoolteachers followed, then instruction for adults, then children's after - school.

Today the school is well known for teaching a variety of diverse classes to all age groups and it's historic site.

I'll be teaching as a substitute teacher for the very beginners woodworking class.  I'll be teaching Jan 28, Feb 4 and Feb 11.  I can't wait' 

Museum Seating

I saw these walnut benches  on the main floor of the Worcester Art Museum.  These quirky benches are fantastic.  Sculptural and functional with a sense of whimsy.  My hats off to the museum for having a sense of humour.  Museum climates can be a little stuffy, these benches are a nice edition to the surroundings.

Art Museums' Contemporary Gallery

Since the 1980's American born artist Willie Cole has explored the iron as a form.  It is symbolic of the domestic labor of his African - american female fore bearers. 

Deeply affected by the protracted violence and civil war in her native Colombia, Colombian born artist Doris Salcedo began a series of narrative sculptures in 1992 built around found doors and based on first hand evidence from victims' families and loved ones

Below is a piece of work from my favorite artist Louise Nevelson

Her work has so mush power and movement in it.  The sculpture below is displayed as a two dimensional work yet it is three dimensional.  The work is painted black,  a stark contrast against the galleries white wall

Museum continued

I love the variety in this collection.  The inlay and veneer work in some of the pieces below are awesome.  The museum also has an Eames DCM chair.

 

Worcester Art Museum

Yesterday Liesl, Quinn and myself went to the Worcester Art Museum.  Admission is free from 10 am - 12 am the first Saturday of each month.  Below  are a few images of some great pieces of furniture.  

The museum has a great collection ranging from period pieces, arts and crafts and modern.

Black and White

I'm not going to be in the studio much lately.  I'm back at working on the book.  I have to finish a bread side table for inventory.  The white bread box is going to look great against the black legs.