The guild has taken on a community service project called EMPTY BOWLS.

Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger.  The basic premise is simple:  Potters, turners, and other craftspeople work to create handcrafted bowls.  Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread.  In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world.  The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger.

Our Guild’s Vice President, Jerry Wheeler, did not have to look far to find an empty bowls project right here in Auburn.   The Auburn Food Bank is hosting an Empty Bowls project on May 17^th, 11 am to 2 pm at the Grace Community Church, 1320 Auburn Way South.

This is a good community project and a great way to practice your turning skills.

Feel free to create something unusual.   Burn, scratch, whittle, write or tape your

“Handcrafted by:                     “ on the bowl.   We will gather the bowls together at the April 11^th and May 9^th EWWG meetings, and deliver them to the Auburn Food Bank on the 16^th.

This  is also a good way to let the community know of our Guild.

Keynote Presenter is Alan Lancer who has been involved in the turning field for over thirty years as a turner, teacher, writer, exhibition coordinator, demonstrator and past president of the American Association of Woodturners. His work has appeared in a number of regional and national exhibitions. Alan has been a regular instructor and demonstrator of the craft—having worked in all 50 states as well as 4 foreign countries. His writings have covered technical aspects of woodturning, many specific projects, stories related to both contemporary and historical woodturning and the long turning traditions of Japan and Germany. He has also produced three videos on his own, with two of them winning a total of four national awards. In 1999 the American Association of Woodturners awarded him their Lifetime Honorary Member Award for his contributions to the field.

Symposium Price:
$80.00 – Early registration until May 31, 2010 : $90.00: June 1, 2010
$10 – Youth under the age of 18 when accompanied by a paying adult
No Refunds after June 30, 2010
Work Shops : July 25th & 26th & 27th

sign up soon at the WOO website

www.ericlofstrom.com. He has a nice summary of his presentation to our members.

by Eric Lofstrom
I stumbled upon turning in October of 2001 at a woodworking store in Sumner, WA. Attending a free woodworking demonstration on turning pens and letter openers was all it took to hook my curiosity. Creating shavings on a lathe consumed my thoughts for the next few weeks as I wrapped my brain around how a finished piece could emerge from rough materials so quickly! After hearing all the details (several times), my wife pursued this spark of excitement and set my woodturning journey in motion with a mini lathe and tool set for Christmas. Years later, my woodturning enthusiasm continues to grow.

Like many turners, my woodturning adventures began with scraps of 2x4s and “factory sharpened” tools. Several startling catches in the first few projects quickly focused me on the why and how of creating curls instead of settling for sawdust. Gaining tool control and improving my technique became a personal quest. Whether creating a fitted lid box or multi-axis turning, a translucent or winged bowl, a hollow form or exploring surface embellishments, I enjoy projects which stretch my skills and creativity.

In fall of 2002, I became a member of the South Puget Sound Chapter of the AAW and have served on the board of directors since 2005. I enjoy representing our club at woodworking shows and regularly mentor other turners at our monthly sawdust sessions. I began monthly demonstrations and teaching woodturning classes at local woodworking stores in 2006. The constant exposure to other turners continues to transform my awareness and understanding of turning fundamentals. I am increasingly conscious of the importance tool control plays in creating pieces. I believe it is not only important to know which techniques work but also why they work.

As a passionate teacher and woodturner, I hope to impact the world of woodturning by helping others build confidence in tool control and developing their own voice in woodturning!