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Woodturning

Learn the basics, or practice a new technique in our world-class turning studio with seven sturdy Oneway lathes. Register now for upcoming workshops, or ask us about a private tutorial. We are happy to customize a class for you and your friends, family or co-workers: 3 to 6 people receive lots of personal attention and share an enjoyable creative experience!

Click here to view PAST WOODTURNING CLASSES

SAMPLER WORKSHOP: Make a Bottle Stopper (morning session)

Tuition $60.00

REGISTRATION CLOSED

Beginner, Experienced Beginner
Unsure if this class is appropriate for your skill level? Contact us and find out.

Jim Degen

WT2012 May 12, 2012 (10am - 1pm) Sat (Turning Studio, Railroad Building)

In this fun half-day workshop students with little or no previous woodturning experience will learn how to turn beautiful bottle stoppers on the lathe. In three hours, you can expect to complete one bottle stopper, finished with a cork. The finished stoppers make great hostess gifts. Is your mother a wine aficionado? Throw in a bottle of her favorite wine and her Mother's Day present is complete. Better yet, give this workshop as a gift and let your mom maker her own stopper. A studio/materials fee of $5 is due at time of registration.

Try something new for 3 to 4 hours in a Sampler Workshop. Get an overview of the technical processes and creative possibilities of a specific medium. Acquaint yourself with the tools and equipment used in the studio and experience a hands-on introduction to the materials. Between tuition and materials, a Sampler Workshop will always cost less than $100.

SAMPLER WORKSHOP: Make a Bottle Stopper (afternoon session)

Tuition $60.00

Beginner, Experienced Beginner
Unsure if this class is appropriate for your skill level? Contact us and find out.

Jim Degen

WT2112 May 12, 2012 (2pm - 5pm) Sat (Turning Studio, Railroad Building)

Writing on the Wall: Social Media for Artists

Writing on the Wall: Social Media for Artists

Tuition $35.00

All Levels (Beginners welcome)
Unsure if this class is appropriate for your skill level? Contact us and find out.

Heather Lawless

NEW DATE SM0412 May 19, 2012 (10am - 12pm) Sat morning (River Room, Mill Building)

The principles of networking haven't changed in decades, but the social scene is all new. Whether you are apprehensive, dragging your feet, or ready to embrace social networking online, this seminar will introduce you to the world of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Learn all the tips and tricks of how to gain a following, expand your art's audience and get your name out into the world without having to shamelessly self-promote. Social networking is about building a community of like-minded people and sharing ideas, but it is also a science. Are you aware that there is a right and a wrong time of day to announce your upcoming exhibit? Did you know that you can tweet like you're out on the town while you're really fast asleep? Are you wondering what the heck a tweet is? Learn the nuances of privacy settings, the dirt on posting copyrighted original artwork, and the outright importance of social networking in the business of art.

SAMPLER WORKSHOP: Turn a Pen for Dads + Grads

SAMPLER WORKSHOP: Turn a Pen for Dads + Grads (morning session)

Tuition $60.00

Beginner, Experienced Beginner
Unsure if this class is appropriate for your skill level? Contact us and find out.

Jim Degen

WT2212 Jun 2, 2012 (10am-1pm) Saturday morning (Turning Studio)

Spend this short workshop with your dad or grad, or turn a pen as a gift for Father's Day or graduation. Pen turning is an enjoyable way to get started using a lathe. This 3-hour workshop will introduce you to Brookfield Craft Center’s state-of-the-art wood turning studio, and teach you all the basic techniques in creating your own Slim Line Pen. You will leave with a unique writing instrument that you created yourself. The instructor will show how to align the grain, square the ends, turn the wood, apply a finish and assemble the parts. Each student should expect to complete one wooden pen. A studio/materials fee of $10 is due at time of registration. Students 13 years of age and older are welcome to enroll. Students under age 16, please call for details.

Brookfield Craft Center's Sampler Workshops are designed with the beginner in mind. These short, low-cost workshops eliminate the intimidation of trying a new art medium and using a new studio. You might just find your new artistic calling, but you will never know unless you give it a try.

SAMPLER WORKSHOP: Turn a Pen for Dads + Grads (afternoon session)

Tuition $60.00

Beginner, Experienced Beginner
Unsure if this class is appropriate for your skill level? Contact us and find out.

Jim Degen

WT2212 Jun 2, 2012 (2-5pm) Saturday morning (Turning Studio)

Bowl Turning 101

Tuition $240.00

Beginner, Experienced Beginner
Unsure if this class is appropriate for your skill level? Contact us and find out.

Jim Degen

WT2412 Jun 9-10, 2012 (10am - 5pm) Sat/Sun (Turning Studio, Railroad Building)

This is a beginning level class for students with little or no previous turning experience. All aspects of beginning turning will be covered: lathe safety, wood preparation, tool selection and use, basic design, sanding and finishing. Students can expect to complete two bowls during the class. A materials fee of $30 is due at time of registration.

Introduction to Hollow Form Turning

Tuition $120.00

Experienced Beginner, Advanced Beginner
Unsure if this class is appropriate for your skill level? Contact us and find out.

Jim Degen

WT2512 Jun 16, 2012 (10am - 5pm) Sat (Turning Studio, Railroad Building)

Many woodturners would like to try their hand at hollow forms, such as vases and vessels, but are bewildered by the wide variety of hollowing tools and systems that are available. This one day workshop provides the opportunity to experience hollow turning, try a variety of different tools, and complete a small vessel all without investing in any special tools. A studio/materials fee of $20 is due at time of registration.

Introduction to the Lathe

Tuition $240.00

Beginner, Experienced Beginner
Unsure if this class is appropriate for your skill level? Contact us and find out.

Buster Shaw

WT2612 Jul 14-15, 2012, (10am - 5pm) Saturday/Sunday (Turning Studio, Railroad Building)

Join us for a 2-day introductory workshop in the art of woodturning. You’ll discover the joy of turning a block of wood into a wooden bowl…and that’s just the beginning. This class will provide you with a solid understanding of the fundamentals of woodturning in a fun, open and sharing atmosphere. Whether you’re a rank beginner or need to improve your current skills, you will benefit from the many techniques and tricks revealed in this hands-on woodturning workshop with Buster Shaw, one of the Craft Center’s most popular instructors. Expect to realize the many possibilities of turning, as you’re guided through proper tool selection, sharpening, and safety techniques. The sky is the limit as we pay homage to the trees, combining technique with imagination, to create wondrous works of wooden art. A studio/materials fee of $25 is due at time of registration.

Bowl Turning 102

Tuition $240.00

Experienced Beginner, Advanced Beginner
Prerequisite: Bowlturning 101, Intro to the Lathe, Beginning Bowl Turning or other lathe experience
Unsure if this class is appropriate for your skill level? Contact us and find out.

Jim Degen

WT2712 Jul 21-22, 2012 (10am - 5pm) Saturday/Sunday (Turning Studio, Railroad Building)

Take your woodturning skills to the next level with well-designed and beautifully shaped bowls. Bowl Turning 102 picks up where Bowl Turning 101 or Introduction to the Lathe leaves off. After a review of basic skills and concepts, students will proceed at their own level and pace with individual assistance and coaching. All phases of bowl turning will be covered, from wood preparation to final finishing. This course is designed for students who have completed a foundation-level woodturning course at BCC, have some lathe experience, or would like to exercise some rusty skills. A studio/materials fee of $30 is due at time of registration.

From Tree to Table

Tuition $240.00

Beginner, Experienced Beginner, Advanced Beginner
Unsure if this class is appropriate for your skill level? Contact us and find out.

Jim Degen

WT2812 Aug 4-5, 2012 (10am - 5pm) Sat/Sun (Turning Studio, Railroad Building)

If a tree falls in the woods, a woodturner is sure to hear it! This course teaches students how to make a bowl straight from the trunk of a tree. Slowly drying turning wood can take months to accomplish, but this course whisks students through the time-intensive process with pre-prepared wood. Jim will demonstrate using a chain saw to split logs from fallen trees. Students will then use a band saw to rough out the shape, and lathes to turn the wood, ending with a beautifully finished bowl. Safety, and tool selection and use will be covered as well as basic design. Students can expect to rough-turn wet wood, learn how to slowly dry the roughed bowls, and then finish a bowl that has been pre-dried. A studio/materials fee of $25 is due at time of registration.

Click here to view PAST WOODTURNING CLASSES