"Timber framing is a simple but elegant building system consisting of large wood posts and beams fit together with interlocking joinery and secured with wooden pegs. As in any post and beam structure the timber framework supports its roof by transferring roof loads to principal posts and onto the foundation of the building eliminating the need for load bearing interior partition walls. The result is a strong, self supporting timber structure in which heavy timbers frame large, open living spaces.

Charles Landau founded Timbercraft Homes (based in Port Townsend). Charles sold the business several years ago, now in retirement (and no less busy), Charles will share his love of Timberframing in this presentation.

Or Putting the Woo! back into Woodworking.

Working wood with hand-powered tools is, in many cases, not only more appropriate but they are quiet, do not make dust and are a whole lot more fun to use.

Come watch Jim Tolpin demonstrate smoothing boards, paring joints and making moldings with hand planes and cutting dovetails and other complex joints quickly with a hand saw.

"I'm retired and live on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. I've been creating miniature tools for 10 years, learning the basics of table-top machining in the process. Each of the miniature tools that I have produced are part of that education and are part of my personal collection."

Come see John's exquisite work and a presentation of his on his methods and technniques.

John's blog

Kim has been a nationally and internationally recognized furniture maker. Her whimsical painted furniture has been a delight over the years. Her furniture has been shown in many galleries (like this one).

Kim however has come to the hard recognition that people expect furniture to be cheap (thanks IKEA!) and sculpture to be expensive. It was a very painful decision for Kim to switch from furniture to sculpture. Kim will share the pain and pleasure of her decision. If you are quick you can pickup some of her furniture at a big discount directly from Kim.

She'll share with us some of her latest work which she is preparing for a show at Museo in Langley on Whidbey Island in September.

 Kim lives and works in Freeland on Whidbey Island.

Jim has built six or seven gypsy wagons over the last twenty years. The one pictured here was completed in Spring 2007 and shipped to upstate New York by Fedex!

In this presentation Jim will share his thoughts and experiences on the history and construction of Gypsy Wagons.

We might even turn it into a course!

For more photos, go to: 

www.jimtolpin.com

"I was born in New York City and grew up in Westchester County, NY.

With eyes full of wanderlust, I was off on a ship at sea by age 19. Originally trained as a marine engineer, I spent more than 22 years at sea, mostly on large container vessels. I still hold my chief engineers license.

While on land, large wood-working became a passion. and this interest led from simple carpentry, to log joinery, to traditional timber framing to extensive saw milling, to treehousing. I sat on the Board of Directors of the Timber Framers Guild for six years.

In 1997 I co-founded, along with writer and builder Peter Nelson, TreeHouse Workshop, Inc., a design/build firm specializing in structures that are truly engineered and situated in trees. THW is located in Seattle, WA.

When not surveying, climbing, or building in the trees, I am a fir trader striving to bring the vision of large post & beam projects together with the right source of reclaimed, salvaged, and seasoned timbers. I love to search shut-down saw mills, defunct factories, abandoned waterfront warehouses, and old bridges and trestles, for an interesting supply of wood from which many of our treehouses are built."

Come listen and see Jake share hjs passion for Treehouses.

Wooden bowl or abalone shell? This exquisite bowl was made by Port Townsend's very own Helga Winter.

Helga will start our turning program with a demonstration of bowl turning and talk about her philosophy of wood turning.

Helga's website

Greg Kossow is a master finish carpenter with a passion for Windsor Chairs. His home is a masterful mixture of wonderful built-ins and gorgeous trim that create a backdrop for a wide variety of Windsor chairs. In this presentation Greg will talk about the history and variations of the Windsor Chair. Plus Greg will demonstrate some of the aspects of making a Windsor Chair.

Plus we'll have a samplling from his collection. Don't get too comfy - he'll be taking them home.

Greg will be teaching the making of Windsor Chairs at the school during 2009.

Nationally recognized, Historic Interior Designer Karen L. Hovde will de-mystify the process for artists who want to receive more recognition for their art, woodwork or business. In a casual, interactive style, Hovde will recount the process of seeing her own work in print more than 25 times. Hovde’s one woman business, Port Townsend-based Interior Vision in the Craftsman Style, grew from a bold dream in 1988. Today, her work is both nationally and internationally recognized.

Hovde will show artists and craftspeople who attend how to employ key concepts and strategies to overcome tough, economically challenging times. With encouragement, humor, and examples from her own life, Hovde's passion and enthusiasm will inspire artists to live their dreams, build and market their businesses, all without giving up on their passions.

In addition, award-winning Journalist Damian Boudreau will be on hand to field audience questions regarding the media industry. Boudreau also will explain how artists and business owners can get their work noticed by the media, and how to better their chances of seeing their name - and work - in print. 

Karen L. Hovde of Interior Vision in the Craftsman Style began her design career in 1988. Since then, magazines from coast to coast have featured her work. Hovde’s own home was featured in Style 1900, Better Homes and Gardens, and a Japanese home magazine. In addition, her work landed her on the pages of a number of design books including Bungalow Nation and Recreating the Bungalow. The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine featured Hovde’s work in an article focused on homes in the Seattle area.  She’s been published in American Bungalow magazine 12 times, including the magazine’s summer 2000 and spring 2008 cover stories.