Jim Tolpin (Founder and Faculty)

Phone: (360) 301-2291
Email: jim@ptwoodschool.com
Website: www.jimtolpin.com

See pictures of the Gypsy Wagon Jim finished in 2007.

"Over the last three decades, I have worked professionally in woodworking as a boatbuilder, a timber-frame housewright and a custom cabinetmaker. I have also written books and articles about general woodworking, cabinetmaking and finish carpentry--and more recently about home design. My how-to articles have been published in most of the major woodworking magazines including Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding. I maintained a regular column for CabinetMaker and Woodshop News magazines and I have written a number of feature articles for Cottage and Coastal Living magazines. I have also produced twelve books in this period of time that have together sold more than 750,000 copies to date. I am the immediate past president of a technical writer’s trade organization: The National Association for Home and Workshop Writers." Today my passion is teaching woodworking...I just love watching people discover the joy of working good wood with good tools into beautiful, useful objects!"

John Marckworth (Founder and Faculty)

Phone: (360) 316-9480
Email: john@ptwoodschool.com
Website: www.marckworthdesign.com
See a portfolio of my work.

"I specialize in custom woodworking including furniture, cabinetry, built-ins, and interior/exterior architectural details. As a licensed sub-contractor I work with general contractors, architects, designers, and directly with homeowners. My work offers integrity, attention to detail, and meticulous craftsmanship. I enjoy a challenge, and welcome one-of-a-kind projects that call for thinking outside the traditional box. I am equipped to provide both in-shop and on-site production.

My work has been featured in a number of woodworking books and magazines, and I am the author of Beautiful Wooden Projects for Outdoor Living, published by Popular Woodworking Books."

Tim Lawson (Founder and Executive Director)

Phone: (360) 797-5846
Email: tim@ptwoodschool.com
Website: www.timlawson.net
See a portfolio of my work

Tim is a graduate of the Intensive Furniture Making course at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine.

"I build sculptural furniture using a mixture of techniques including: steam bent double tapered laminations; coopered sections (double curved pieces made of solid wood); traditional joinery. All joints and most surfaces are shaped by planes, rasps or by spokeshave. The final blending done with either card scrapers or by sanding. I use a wet rubbed oil/varnish finish to create a lustrous satin look that pops the grain and feels wonderful to the touch."

"I draw my inspiration from winged creatures. The flick of a raised wing, the curve of a swan's breast and the open wings of a resting butterfly may all be seen in my work. I blend these graceful and powerful curves into elegant, functional furniture. I use and celebrate the natural diversity of line and colour in the grain of North American hardwoods.

"I am currently building a range of stands and music stands. I welcome commissions for custom furniture that seeks and demands the grace and elegance of curved forms."

Elizabeth Laing (Office Manager)

Elizabeth joined the School in May 2011. Liz also acts as bookkeeper and registrar. Please feel  free to call (360-344-4455)  or email Liz at the School if you have questions about your registration and accommodation.

Abel Isaac Dances (Faculty)

Abel joined the School staff in April 2011.

"Born in the San Juan Islands, Washington in 1972, I have lived on the Olympic Peninsula most of my life. As the son of a carpenter, my first impressions of woodworking were the rough sawn cedar cabins and beachside boat shops of rural Washington. In the past two decades I have built for farmers, shops and contractors, but the majority of my carpentry has been in the service of owner-builders seeking design and production support for their custom projects.

My workshop is on ten acres of timberland with a view of the Olympic Mountains. The regional landscape provides direct inspiration to my work. Drawing from the wealth of culture encompassed by the Pacific Rim, I pursue traditional carpentry techniques in natural materials. I strive to represent an earth-wise timelessness while addressing the contemporary issues of modern life. Current projects include a line of devotional furnishings offered to the global community now pursuing lifestyles of health and sustainability."

Alex Moro (Shop Assistant)

Alex is a graduate of our first Woodworking Foundation course in Winter 2011.

Seth Rolland

Phone:    (360) 379–0414
Email:     seth@olypen.com
Website: www.sethrolland.com

 "As a woodworker for 20 years I am drawn to furniture that is intriguing enough to stand alone as sculpture.  My goal as a furniture maker is to combine animated, balanced, interesting forms with function and comfort.  Design and the refining of proportions are a very important part of my process and can take as long as making the piece.

Currently I use many different techniques in my work, including carving, steam bending, lamination and vacuum forming.  Some of my recent pieces are made from both stone and wood.  I use mostly North American Hardwoods and recently I have been working with Steve and Tim on milling wood from trees in the Port Townsend area that either are blown down or have to be removed.  My work has been featured in many books and magazines as well as on HGTV’s “Modern Masters”.  I produce both commissioned work and pieces for galleries across the country and in Canada.  I enjoy teaching and have taught previously at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts."

Kevin Palo

Phone:    (503) 791-3019
Email:         tennmileplaning@gmail.com
Website: www.tenmilerestoration.com

Originally from Sacramento, CA, Kevin is the owner of Ten Mile Millwork and Baker Bay Restoration. Active in the field of Historic Preservation since 1976, Palo bought his first house in an urban redevelopment district in Sacramento, when the city was bulldozing blocks of old housing stock.

For 33 years Palo has worked closely with architects, historical societies, house museums, homeowners, developers and government agencies throughout the western US to provide exact and comprehensive guidance and materials.

Palo worked primarily in Oregon from 1994 to 2007, when he moved across the Columbia River to Washington's Pacific County. He and his wife are restoring an original National Folk Victorian built c. 1880 in Ilwaco.

Steven Habersetzer

Phone: 360 (385)-2135
Email: None
Website: View a sample of Steve's Portfolio

Steve is along time resident of Port Townsend and the first sign of early spring is when Steve hangs up his sandals!

Steve is Jim's chief partner in crime on the Gypsy Wagon Courses. Steve is currently building a ledge style Gypsy Wagon and there is a strong chance he'll be building another in 2011.

Steve describes himself:

"Self taught artisan woodworker for 30 years with interest in design, ecological problem solving and organic farming.

I specialise in non toxic construction and finishing, building for chemically sensitive people, using non toxic glues and finishes (pure boiled Linseed oil or 100% Tung Oil). I don't use plywood or particle board. All work is solid wood - no veneers. Frame and panel construction with bookmatched panels is a trademark of my work.

My work is very diverse - from caravans (gypsy wagons), furniture, cabinetry, stairs, to the occasional coffin. Design and construction challenges are a welcome part of this work."

Darrell Peart

Phone:    (425) 277-4070
Email:      dwp@furnituremaker.com  
Website:  www.furnituremaker.com

Darrell Peart was born in Wenatchee Washington (1950) and currently resides in Seattle Washington with his wife Terry. He has three children and five grandchildren.

Darrell started his career making and selling small wooden items at Seattle's Pike Place Market. To broaden his experience, he then worked for many years in various high-end custom shops throughout the Puget Sound area gaining an extensive background in both commercial and custom furniture making.

In 1989 he discovered the American Arts & Crafts Movement and in succession was captivated by the works of Charles and Henry Greene.
Although Greene & Greene is Darrell's primary inspiration, James Krenov, Thomas Chippendale, and Gothic furniture have also influenced him in one way or another.

He has written for Home Furniture, Today's Woodworker, Fine Woodworking, Woodwork and Popular Woodworking magazines. His first book, "Greene and Greene: Design Elements for the Workshop" was published in April 2006 by Linden Press. His work has appeared in various galleries; has been featured in both local and national newspapers, magazines, and books; and in private collections throughout the US.

Dan Packard

Dan Packard trained as a sculptor and has taught sculpture and carving for nearly 40 years. Now retired Dan creates wonderful carvings of orchids in his studio in Port Townsend. Dan, with a deep love of boats and boat building, also works as an instructor at the NW School of Wooden Boat Building in Port Hadlock.

Bonnie Klein

Phone:425-226-5937  Email: blklein96@aol.com
Website: www.bonnieklein.com

"I turn for the love of the creative process. I am addicted to discovery, progress, and the fact that perfection is forever elusive but, as I strive for it, yesterday’s challenges become the basic skills of tomorrow. I love the distinct smell of the various woods, the sound of the shavings as they are cut by a sharp tool, and how quickly a form appears from a block of material. In the past I have enjoyed many other crafts - spinning, knitting, weaving, basketry, etc, but not only for the tactile sensations. The aroma of spinning "in the grease", the smell of wet reeds for a basket, the sound of a shuttle or the clicking of knitting needles all contributed to the satisfaction of making something. Experimenting with turning unusual materials such as bone, plastic, tagua nuts, aluminum and horn has led to many more interesting sensations for the eyes, ears, hands and nose."

Martha Collins

Phone: (360) 683-2678
Email: martha@studiomarthacollins.com
Website: Martha's website

 "Leaving graduate school in the early 1970’s I envied friends who had a cabinet shop and were working with their hands.  After a short interim as a carpenter’s assistant I was able to be trained by the State of Michigan at the State Technical and Rehabilitation Institute in cabinetmaking.  It was wonderful.  Two and half years of instruction, every day from 8 to 3.  Upon graduation I was hired by the John Widdicomb Furniture Factory as a management trainee and went to work in their sample room. 

In 1978 I opened my own shop producing custom furniture and cabinets.  At this same time I was spending a lot of time in a guitar shop learning about dyeing veneers, laminating exotic woods and creating wooden jewelry.  In 1983 my family moved to the Northwest to a shop and home that I designed and built.  Here along with cabinets and furniture I produced a line of bracelets that I offered throughout galleries on the West coast.  In 1995 I joined Admiral Marine Works making the interiors of wonderful large and very expensive yachts. For the last decade I have been teaching woodworking courses and participating in national art shows throughout the country."

Michael Dresdner

Phone: (253) 770-1664
Email:   michael@michaeldresdner.com
Website: http://www.michaeldresdner.com/

Michael Dresdner is a nationally known finishing and woodworking expert, consultant, lecturer, columnist, and author of several books, videos, and hundreds of articles in the field of woodworking and finishing.

He has been a contributing editor to Fine Woodworking, American Woodworker, and Woodworker’s Journal, where he currently writes a regular column. Michael is currently the eZine editor of Woodworker’s Journal eZine, the worlds largest online woodworking magazine, and is the “answer man” at www.woodanswers.com, a website that provides expert answers to finishing questions.

He is the former head of research and development for Martin Guitar Company, and was the founding CEO of Tacoma Guitar. He has lectured extensively throughout the US for guilds, associations, conventions, and schools, including Anderson Ranch Arts Center, The Smithsonian Institution, AWFS, and the Architectural Woodwork Institute.

Garrett Hack

Garrett Hack is a furnituremaker, author, and woodworking teacher from Thetford Center, Vermont.

Coming courses and info about Garrett

Steve Brown

Phone: (360) 683-7555
Email Steve

Steve has been making his living by woodworking in one form or another since 1969, and has concentrated a large portion of those efforts in the field of Northwest Coast art, both as a carver and as a teacher. Steve has taught classes in traditional carving since 1975, and has worked in Native and non-Native communities in Southeast Alaska and Washington State. Teaching venues have included the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan, Alaska, the University of Alaska/Juneau and Sitka, the villages of Hoonah, Craig, Wrangell, Metlakatla, and Kake, Alaska, the Shuswap School of Woodcarving, and the Longhouse at the Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington. Steve has participated in extensive totem pole carving projects in Wrangell, Alaska, and for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe in Washington. Steve enjoys teaching carving and toolmaking, and sharing his knowledge and experience in this field.

Tom Dolese

Phone:     (360) 393-7577
Email:     Tom Dolese
Website:  www.terrafirmadesignnw.com

Tom Dolese was born on the Navaho Reservation in the small town of Ganado, Arizona.In college, Tom studied Mathematics, Environmental Geology and Geophysics.

Tom's Geophysics work led to doing research in Yellowstone Park and it was there, on his days off, that he built a small scribe-fit log. As he was working on the cabin, especially the interior of the cabin, he realized that he was more interested in creating furniture than the study of Geophysics. In 1986, Tom started designing and building furniture and in a few years became a full-time furniture maker.

Currently, Tom builds gallery and commission pieces in Bellingham, WA. He teaches woodworking as well. Jennifer, who does leaded glass and Marquetry work, and Tom occasionally collaborate on lighting and furniture pieces. Tom is a member of Artwood, a woodworking cooperative gallery in Bellingham.  He is partners with Steve Hall in a Woodworking shop in Bellingham and with Kent Perelman and Nick Boynton in a Missoula Woodworking shop. Jennifer and Tom have a daughter, Sarah, a dog, Raven, and a cat, Leo. Jennifer and Tom's work can be viewed at www.terrafirmadesignnw.com. 

George Walker

Website: Design Matters

I've been a woodworker for over twenty-five years and a writer for nearly that long. Currently I am writing and hosting a series of instructional DVD's for Lie-Nielsen Toolworks covering furniture design basics. The first title was released in April 2009 "Unlocking the Secrets of Traditional Design" and covers basic proportional theory and application. A second video on designing moldings is due for release before Christmas 2009. I'm also writing a monthly column for Popular Woodworking Magazine titled "Design Matters" which is slated to debut in Feb 2010. I do some speaking and teaching about furniture design. This past year I was one of the keynote speakers at the WIA (Woodworking in America) design conference in Chicago, and I'm slated to teach design at MASW (Marc Adams) and Port Townsend School of Woodworking (Jim Tolpin) in 2010. In addition I've written for American Period Furniture, Fine Woodworking, and Woodcraft Magazine.

On a personal note I started my working career over 30 years ago as a journeyman machinist, a far cry from my woodworking design world which swaps out micrometers for dividers. I'm also a weekend naturalist with a keen interest in botany, birding, and a bit of astronomy to round things out. I'm happily married to the love of my life Barb, who has a long list of furniture still waiting to be built.

I prefer hand tools to machines in my own shop with machines reserved for the heavy lifting. I especially like to work with curly maple and am always on the lookout for nicely figured lumber.

George is currently writing a monthly column for Popular Woodworking Magazine  titled “Design Matters” which debuted in February 2010.

Dale Brotherton

Japanese Woodworking

More about Dale and his classes

Mike Wenzloff

Phone: (503) 359-52553-359-5255
Email:  mwenz@wenzloffandsons.com
Website: www.wenzloffandsons.com

Tim Swanberg

Phone: (406) 793-5038 
Email Tim

Born and raised in Seattle I now live in Ovando, a small town in western Montana, with my wife and two daughters.  I studied biology, receiving a BA from Whitman College in 1991 and a MS from the University of Montana in 1996.  Soon after completing these studies, however, I became extremely interested in woodworking, largely due to exposure to work by exceptional woodworkers in Missoula.  I began building furniture and cabinetry in 1998, learning techniques and design skills from mentors, reading, and from courses at the Anderson Ranch Arts Centers.  My work uses traditional and contemporary elements and over the years has come to incorporate techniques that distance me from exclusive reliance on machinery.  One of these techniques, marquetry, has become a favorite way to decorate and humanize what typically is a functional form.  My work,which is largely commissioned, has appeared in Fine Woodworking Magazine and Woodworker West.

Tim Celeski

Tim Celeski studied architecture and design before spending over 30 years in business as a designer. Once he discovered woodworking and built a workbench as his first project he fell in love with the craft, dropped his design career and became a full-time furniture maker and has never looked back. Using his design skills, his main focus is on original design high-end custom outdoor furniture.

His extensive furniture line covers many types of furniture with many design choices from Arts and Crafts to contemporary. His work has been featured in over four dozen magazines, is in high demand and is in collections all across the country. Over 100 of his pieces are in some of the Greene and Greene masterpieces in Pasadena.