Center for Art in Wood

Issue 20

admin — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:22:14 +0000

November 2011

The Center in 2011 -

Realization of a Dream

FROM THE CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dear Friends,

It is with great pride and excitement that I write to you from our new space at 141 N. 3rd Street in Old City Philadelphia. In the few short months since our last Turning Points newsletter, The Center has undergone momentous changes — a new name, new location and new website are just the beginning: formerly The Wood Turning Center, we are now truly The Center for Art in Wood.

After quietly opening our doors on First Friday November 4 and hosting an Opening Celebration Weekend on November 11-13, we welcomed 1,245 visitors – in just 2 short weeks! If you think our new space is not inducement enough to visit, our 25th Anniversary exhibition, Turning to Art in Wood: A Creative Journey, is now on display and the beautiful 25th anniversary limited-edition Portfolio publication of the same name is available.

Come see for yourself! The building is extraordinary and is receiving high praise from everyone who visits. We are open 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday – Saturday. Information at 215-923-8000 or The Center for Art in Wood.

It goes without saying that none of this would have been possible without your support and belief in The Center for Art in Wood. I cannot thank you enough for making my dreams, and the dreams of so many artists, come true.

On behalf of our Board of Trustees and Staff, as well as myself and the community of wood artists, I say “Welcome!” We look forward to seeing you often at this beautiful, vibrant new Center for Art in Wood.

Best wishes to you and yours for the New Year.

Sincerely,

Albert LeCoff

Co-Founder & Executive Director

Opening Celebration

On Friday, November 11, The Center for Art in Wood officially threw open its doors with an Opening Celebration Party attended by more than 130 guests – artists, donors, members and friends — from near and far.

The Celebration inaugurated the 25th anniversary exhibitionTurning to Art in Wood: A Creative Journey and its accompanying Portfolio publication. A short program featured remarks by co-founder and executive director Albert LeCoff, co-founder Alan LeCoff, and Richard Goldberg, president of the Board of Trustees.

To mark the occasion, the City of Philadelphia honored Albert LeCoff and The Center for Art in Wood for their contributions to the arts community with an official tribute proclamation. An exciting moment!

The evening was made especially festive by delicious fare provided by JPM Catering & Events and music by violinist Madeline Gralish. Events Specialist Nancy Vonada, serving as a volunteer through the Arts & Business Council of Philadelphia, was a great help in assuring that everything ran smoothly.

Besides raising spirits, the evening raised over $15,000 through ticket sales, donations, a raffle and store sales to support The Center’s educational programming.

A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who attended, and for those who could not join us, please enjoy these photos from the evening.

Opening Celebration guests enjoying themselves

Co-Founder & Executive Director Albert LeCoff

Board of Trustees President, Richard Goldberg, presenting Albert LeCoff with a Tribute from the City of Philadelphia

To view more photos from our Celebration please visit our Facebook page at Facebook

Completing Our Wish List –
A New Challenge

Over the past few months, with the support of members and friends, The Center for Art in Wood has made amazing strides. Visitors are enthusiastic — praising the beauty and value that The Center brings to Old City. While we’ve achieved a great deal in a short period of time, a few items still remain on our checklist.

To assist The Center in raising funds, a very generous donor has recently come forward with a wonderful challenge grant:

Raise $25,000 by December 15, 2011
and the donor will match this
with an additional $50,000

Now we are asking you — our friends, members and donors — to consider making a donation towards the challenge grant by December 15.

Your generosity will help The Center to address its very specific needs, and also provide you with a timely tax deduction for 2011.

For those who contribute $250 or more by December 15, The Center will give each person a one-year individual membership to The Center (value $50.00) or a renewal on a current membership.

To make a donation, please click on the following link I Want To Support the Center.

Take A Day Off!

Come See Our Newest Exhibition

Turning to Art in Wood: A Creative Journey

More than 100 objects comprise The Center for Art in Wood’s 25th anniversary exhibition, purposefully selected from the Center’s collection of more than 1000 art works, dating from the 1970′s and 1980′s to today. All have been acquired or are promised gifts.

From extraordinary bowls, wall art and furniture to abstract sculptures and newly imagined forms, objects are grouped in “conversations” that ask viewers to consider them from new perspectives.

Exhibition curator Gerard Brown, Foundation Chair and Assistant Professor of Art at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, “discovered” the collection while a Resident Scholar at The Center for Art in Wood. “I would occasionally ask myself, ‘what am I looking at?’ In fact, I learned I was not interested in those objects as souvenirs or relics or for their status…I am interested in how this collection might propel a conversation forward by creating new conversations between artists and objects.”

The result is a challenging exhibition of exceptional works – organized into “chapters” that Brown calls Conversations, What is it? (e.g., What is a bowl?), Materiality, Color and Function, Tool Time, and Sculpture. While there are “star” artists represented – including David Ellsworth, Mark Lindquist, Mark Sfirri, Merryll Saylan, Jack Larimore, Gord Peteran, Michelle Holzapfel, Jim Partridge, Garry Knox Bennett and Wendy Murayama – many pieces are by less well-known artists who are influencing the discussion. In recent years, more international artists and women working in wood have come forward.

“A collection has a use,” says Brown, “and its function is to push a field forward.”

Michelle Holzapfel

Self Portrait, 1987

Promised Gift of Bruce & Marina Kaiser

On display through April 21, 2012

Many Thanks To All Who Contributed To The Move And New Space Renovations

2011 Contributors

as of November 25, 2011

City of Philadelphia (Donor)

Philadelphia Union of Carpenters & Joiners (Donor)

Windgate Charitable Foundation (Donor)

Ballard Spahr LLP (Donor)

Qb3 Designs, Philadelphia (Donor)

Joel & Vibeke Assouline (Donor)

NORTHSTAR Advisors, LLC (Donor)

Gerry Lenfest (Gallery)

Fleur & Charles Bresler (Resource Library)

Norty Rockler Woodworking (Community Collections Study Gallery Room)

The Bresler Family Foundation
(Executive Director’s Office)

Len Scherock (Museum Store)

Earl Powell (Artist Research Files)

Deena & Jerry Kaplan (Gallery Bench)

Carol Bresler & Carolyn Billinghurst
(Donor to Fleur & Charles Bresler Resource Library)

Edward Bresler
(Donor to Fleur & Charles Bresler Resource Library)

Leonard & Norma Klorfine Foundation (Donor)

Bucks Woodturners (PA) (Movers & Shakers)

Capital Area Woodturners (MD) (Movers & Shakers)

Cape Atlantic Woodturners (NJ) (Movers & Shakers)

DelVal Turners (NJ) (Movers & Shakers)

First State Woodturners (Movers & Shakers)

Alan LeCoff (Donor)

Albert & Tina LeCoff (Donor)

Richard & Rita Goldberg (Donor)

Lee Bender & Carol Schilling (Donor)

John Dziedzina (Donor)

Gift in Honor of Barry S. Slosberg, Inc. (Donor)

Leonard Kreppel (Donor)

Mary Ann Behlen Hruska (Donor)

Charles & Marlene Hummel (Donor)

Michelle & David Holzapfel (Donor)

Mrs. E. Charlene Chase (Donor)

Bruce Kaiser (Donor)

Larry Gabriel (Donor)

Alan Keiser (Donor)

Walter Palmer, Jr. (Donor)

Jeff & Suzanne Kahn (Donor)

Bil Stickler (Donor)

Joan Doyle (Donor)

Take A Look –

The New Website Makes Its Debut

www.centerforartinwood.org

After months of hard work, we are excited to announce the debut of The Center’s new website: Center for Art in Wood Website.

Many talented people developed this project, including Catalyst Creative, designer Dan Saal and Center staff. Funding and support was provided by the William Penn Foundation, Windgate Charitable Foundation, Ron Wornick and the Arts & Business Council of Philadelphia.

The website provides a dynamic interface that is easy to use and very accessible. In addition to presenting current information about The Center and its activities, the site also provides a database that enables users to search The Center’s collections for study and enjoyment.

We want to know how this works for you….so please send your comments to Ron Humbertson at Ron Humbertson.

Issue: 20

In This Issue

Opening Celebration

A Challenge

Our Newest Exhibition

Donor Thanks

Website

Museum Store

The Perfect Holiday Gift

Visit The Center

HOLIDAY SALE

Dec 1 – 24, 2011

10 – 30% Off!

Find Unique Gifts in the Museum Store

Friedemann Buehler

Bowls

price range from

$900 – $2700

Traditional Toys
from Germany

$8 – $38

Seth Rolland

Vases

$115

Bamboo Cork

Bowls & Trays

$12 - $20

Balancing German Clowns

$8 – $38

Core Bamboo Bowls

$28 – $45

CURRENT AND COMING:

Turning to Art in Wood:
A Creative Journey

Nov 11 2011 -
Apr 21, 2012

________________

Museum Store
Holiday Sale

Dec 1 – 24, 2011

Discounts of
10% to 30%

________________

Hooked on Wood: Fish Decoys and Life Aquatic

May 18 -
July 21, 2012

________________

Get your daily Center fix by becoming our friend on Facebook

Facebook

The Perfect Holiday Gift

If you’re searching for the perfect holiday gift, you’ve found it.

In conjunction with our newest exhibition,Turning to Art in Wood, The Center has published a 284-page full-color limited-edition Portfolio publication, numbered and signed by the authors.

This beautiful publication includes illustrated, insightful essays by Center co-founder Albert LeCoff , Elisabeth Agro, Glenn Adamson, Michelle Holzapfel, Robin Rice, exhibition curator Gerard Brown, and board chairman Richard R. Goldberg.

These tell the fascinating story of “the creative journey” of The Wood Turning Center in Philadelphia and its historic role in fostering worldwide recognition of the finest contemporary art in wood. Exhibition photographic cards showcase the more than 100 objects in the 25th anniversary exhibition and an 80-page book displays thumbnail images of all the objects represented in the Center’s museum collection, from its earliest beginnings until today.

Turning to Art in Wood is a truly organic publication that will continue to grow over the years along with The Center’s collection. Updates will be sent each year to subscribers who maintain their annual memberships.

Purchase price: $125.Shipping and applicable taxes are additional.

To purchase your copy, contact Lori Reece at215-923-8000.

Opportunities for Artists

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft – Artist Residency Program

Applications must arrive by March 15, 2012.

Media Accepted: Wood, Glass, Metal, Fiber, Clay, Mixed Media

Access to wide variety of professional opportunities and resources 3, 6, 9 or 12-month residencies onthly stipend Quarterly living/materials bonus

Free studio space

Interested artists should send a completed application form and supporting materials to:

Artist-in-Residence Program

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

4848 Main Street

Houston, TX 77002

For more information, call 713-529-4848 x112, or to download an application visit

Artist-in-Residence

www.crafthouston.org. Applications are under the Artist-in-Residence tab.

Thinking of Giving? Consider the

Legacy Program

A major component of the Center’s Strategic Plan is the development of the Legacy Program.

This Program is designed will allow our friends, members, donors and constituents to give a gift that will survive through the years.

The Legacy Program will honor the wishes of the donor and, in turn, provide long-term sustainability to the organization.

For more information, please contact

Michael Lane at:

Legacy Program

Membership Support Is The Heart Of

The Center

It enables us to operate day-to-day,

develop exhibitions, produce publications, and offer educational outreach programming.

Give a gift of membership

to yourself or others

.

Join or renew today.

To purchasea click on the link below:

Membership

Visit the Center

The Center is open

Tuesday – Saturday

10am to 5pm

and by appointment

Turning Points Newsletter

admin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:28:27 +0000

Wood Turning Center March 2007

Issue: 01

A message from Albert LeCoff,
Executive Director of the
Wood Turning Center

Dear Friend of the Center,
I am proud to introduce this new electronic version of Turning Points! The electronic format will allow us to keep you up to date and informed of the latest goings-on in the wood art field and also gives us the ability to offer more features than the print version. This sample newsletter is being sent to you to help familiarize you with the new format. Take a moment to browse the new features and proposed content. We’d love to hear your feedback… Turning Points is here to serve you, so let us know what you think and feel free to offer suggestions, comments, and content for us to include. All you have to do is click “reply” to send us a message.

Before I introduce the new editor of Turning Points, I want to thank Terry Martin for his years of service as editor of the print version. Under his expert guidance, Turning Points became a respected scholarly publication which helped propel the field of wood art. We are indebted to his skills, vision and commitment. Thank you, Terry!

Robin Rice, a Philadelphia-based art writer and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of the Arts, will be taking over as editor of the new Turning Points newsletter. She writes about art and artists for numerous publications including ARTnews, American Craft and Woman’s Art Journal. We’re excited about her vision for the electronic version of Turning Points. Welcome, Robin!

Thanks also to our Publications Committee, chaired by Judson Randall, for their work surveying members and brainstorming new concepts for the future of Turning Points.

Once again, we’re excited to bring you this new electronic version of Turning Points and look forward to all the possibilities this new format makes possible.

Happy reading,

Albert LeCoff

Articles
You can look forward to new articles in each issue of the Turning Points Newsletter. The topics will range from reviews of exhibits to interviews with artists to theories of art education and more.

Robin Wood, author of The Wooden Bowl, studies and antique bowl.

Videos
This exciting new feature of the elecronic version of Turning Points will allow you to watch interviews with artists and curators, experience gallery talks, and see clips from the International Turning Exchange (ITE) residents’ experiences.

Vincent Romaniello films resident Hilary Pfeifer during the 2006 ITE residency.

Special Features
Also keep your eye out for new and rotating features, such as mystery photos, who’s who, reading suggestions and more.

Can you identify this object? Hint: It’s in our current exhibit.

Events Calendar (click on title for event website)Watch This Space:
The events calendar will contain information on current and upcoming exhibits, conferences, symposia, and other events. If you know of an event that you think we should list, please send us an email.

Coming of Age:
Emerging and Established Wood Artists

February 16 – May 19, 2007
Wood Turning Center
Philadelphia, PA, US

Thierry Martenon, 14042004, 2004

Roll Call:
Wood Art from Current Teachers & StudentsJune 1 – July 15, 2007
Wood Turning Center
Philadelphia, PA, USGareth H. Griffith, From the Depths, 2006

Important Notice:
Be sure to add our email address,turnon@woodturningcenter.org , to your “safe email” list to prevent this newsletter from ending up in your spam box each month. You can manage your subscription, including removing yourself from our email list, using the tools at the bottom of this email. This newsletter is sent via a spam-compliant bulk email service, Constant Contact.

In This Issue

Articles

Videos

Special Features

Events Calendar

Important Notice

Featured Objects

Coupon

Featured Object
from the Collection

John Jordan
Black/White Pair, 2000
Ash
7 x 22 x 9″
2005.11.05.002a.bG
Donated by the artist
“Black/White Pair was a clear vision in my mind from the beginning. A section of ash log was split to make the two pieces. The pair is about relationships – of the pieces having grown foot to foot, the opposing spirals and the black/white contrast. The grain patterns are very carefully balanced and wire brushed to emphasize those patterns.”
-John Jordan

John Jordan is a woodturner from Antioch, Tennessee. Known primarily for his textured and carved vessels, John has been featured in nearly every major turning exhibition for the past 19 years. His work has received numerous awards and is in the permanent collections of many museums and corporations.

This pair of vessels was exhibited in the Center’s Challenge VIexhibit in 2001 and is currently on display at the Center in our Permanent Collection Gallery.

——–

Featured Object
from Museum Store

Bill Smith
Emergence, c.2006
Wood
6 x 7″ diam
$1,800

“My work often provides for many hours of contemplation during the glue-up stage. This quiet and mentally uncluttered time allows my mind to wander and create associations between the developing piece and my mind’s eye view of mythical places and imaginary things.”
-Bill Smith

Born in 1947, Bill Smith received a Bachelor of Science from Penn State University. He has worked with wood in one form or another for his entire life but has focused on wood turning since 1994. Bill enjoys demonstrating his turning techniques, especially in workshops on segmented woodturning .

For information on purchasingEmergence, please call the Center: 215.923.8000

About the Center

admin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:41:38 +0000

The Center displays wood art on site and in our traveling exhibitions and publications. Our International Turning Exchange (ITE) residency program has involved over 100 international residents as it continues through its second decade. The Community Outreach program brings hands-on wood turning and woodworking experience to students throughout the region. The permanent collection contains over 850 objects from around the world, ranging from traditional functional every-day objects to contemporary sculpture. Our research library consists of over 25,000 images, artists’ files and books that help preserve the exciting history of wood turning and woodworking and their continuing evolution as a contemporary art form.

The Center for Art in Wood will become the pre-eminent global organization advancing art that is designed and created from wood, and wood in combination with other materials (the Art).

Mission

The Center for Art in Wood is an arts and educational institution whose mission is leading the growth, awareness, appreciation and promotion of artists and their creation and design of art in wood and wood in combination with other materials.