woodworking
Wood Spoon Carving with Frank Foltz
There are ancient traditions in Scandinavia and other cultures of carving a spoon for someone you care about and love. This class is all about reviving that folk art and learning a practical wood carving skill that will allow you to produce beautiful, durable, and usable wooden ware. Beginners and experienced carvers are welcome and will be working at their own pace. Students will learn safe spoon carving strokes for both roughing and finishing cuts while carving a butter spreader during the morning session. In the afternoon session students will be carving an eating spoon from one of the many species of wood that grow in our area and are suitable for wooden ware.
Each participant will receive all carving blanks needed to complete the class. Extra blanks will be available at a nominal fee. If you want to cut your own blanks, contact Frank at frankfoltz@usfamily.net in advance for instructions.
Date: Saturday, March 8
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Registration Deadline: March 1
Tuition: member-$65 non-member-$80
Deposit: $35
Supplies: included
Click here to register.
Birch Bark Box with Fred Livesay
Small, flat birch bark boxes were commonly produced from the pockets of eighteenth and nineteenth century Scandinavian men and women for the then popular taking of snuff. But, snuff was not the only item kept in birch bark boxes. Larger lapped-birch bark boxes often held coffee, tea, tobacco, salt and even butter. The oldest known carbon-14 dated example of a birch bark box was found in the summer of 1927 at a site in Ørlandet, Norway. It is in remarkable condition for being 2500 years old. Further analysis determined it was probably used for butter. What might the archeologists find in the box you make for this class: . . . buttons, spare change, jewelry, a child’s found treasures? Students taking this class will learn how to layout a birch bark box from a single strip of bark as well as carve a base and lid to fit. Instructor will cover safety, sharpening, correct carving techniques when using a knife and scorp, collection of bark, and finishes for your box. This is an excellent beginner or advanced woodworking class.
Date: Saturday & Sunday, April 12 & 13
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Registration Deadline: April 1
Tuition: member-$120 non-member-$135
Deposit: $60
Supplies: $15 (contact MVAS at 320-734-4807 for a supplies list to bring to class)
Click here to register.
Timberframe Construction Project with Dale Pederson
Building a picnic shelter in Milan to highlight the beauty & craftsmanship of timberframe traditions.
Dale will lead students through layout and design principles required to make a building. Complex joints such as shouldered mortise and tenons, scarfs, and housed and shouldered dovetails will be addressed as well as laying out and cutting posts, tie beams, joists, purlins, rafters and braces. All students will lay out and cut as wide of a variety of joints as possible. A combination of traditional hand tools and modern power tools will be used. Students will discuss the relation of the building’s intended use to design considerations and mechanical and enclosure systems. The final day of the class will include the assembly and raising of the structure.
Dates to be determined in early 2008
Registration deadline: February 1
Contact MVAS for tuition costs and information how you can participate in this exciting class at 320-734-4807 or by e-mail at mvas@fedteldirect.net
Click here to register.
Adirondack Chair: Working with a Pattern with Tom Opoien
How many times have you looked at your plastic lawn furniture and wished you could have a set of those Adirondack chairs? Now you can learn how to make your own pair of chairs, while learning the basics of woodworking. Students will learn how to read a pattern, basic power tool skills, and the mechanics of putting together a project. Students will take home one completed, unpainted chair and have the materials to construct a second chair.
Date: Saturday, July 19
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Registration Deadline: July 1
Tuition: member-$65 non-member-$80
Deposit: $35
Supplies: contact Tom Opoien to discuss supplies and tools at 320-734-4469
Click here to register.
Chip Carving: Make an Ornament with Walt Grittner
In this one-day class, students will learn the basics of chip carving techniques and design. Chip carving is an ancient folk art practiced by many ethnic cultures in central and northern Europe. Students will learn how to rule up a practice board (furnished), practice removing chips to develop a uniform result, rule a chip carve-able ornament, learn to produce and keep a sharp edge on a blade, and to carve and finish a small project step by step.
Date: November 10, 2007
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Registration Deadline: October 15
Tuition: $40
Deposit: $20
Supplies: $5
Click here to register.
2-day Wood Turning with Jim Sannerud
Discover Woodturning! Nothing shows off the natural beauty of wood grain like a wood turned bowl. This two-day introductory course will give students an opportunity to work with a lathe to fashion a container or spindle. Focus of the class will be on correct tool use and will cover safety, sharpening and working between center on the lathe. Students will be able to take home projects to use or give as gifts.
Date: Saturday & Sunday, February 23 & 24
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Registration Deadline: February 1
Tuition: member-$100 non-member-$115
Deposit: $50
Supplies: $25-$50 depending on supplies used.
Click here to register.
5-day Wood Turning with Jim Sannerud
The five-day course is designed for the beginner or intermediate woodturner. Students will begin with basic project ideas and progress at their own pace after a brush-up on safety and lathe anatomy. Many projects will be available to choose from as students improve throughout the week. Jim will share details on processing your own wood for turning and incorporating form, color and texture into your work. Bring ideas of what you would like to create!
Date: Monday through Friday, February 25-29
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Registration Deadline: February 15
Tuition: member-$250 non-member-$265
Deposit: $125
Supplies: $25-$75 depending on supplies used.
Click here to register.
The Spoon Gathering
Milan Village Arts School hosts the second annual Wood Spoon Carvers’ Gathering on June 6, 7, and 8.
MVAS instructors, Jim Sannerud, Fred Livesay, and Frank Foltz have organized an annual get-together of spoon carvers for fun, camaraderie, and to provide an opportunity for carvers to share their techniques and skill with those with a similar passion for wood carving. Meet with skilled practitioners of traditional spoon carving, expect to see an international collection of spoons, quality workmanship, and a lot of people having a really good time.
Click here for more details on this year's Spoon Gathering.