I am currently taking a full time advanced woodworking and furniture design course that is directed towards fine furniture design and construction.
My class, 12 of us in all, is planning a road trip from our base in Edmonton via Vancouver to Seattle to meet professional furniture makers. The aim of the trip is to gain a better understanding of how custom fine furniture makers operate, how they get the work in front of the client, what styles are prevelant, what the shops are like etc. It’s a very broad remit that we hope will give us an improved insight into our chosen field.
It’s such a great opportunity that I’d like to make the most of it and wanted to ask for suggestions on extra stops that could be made on the journey. We have made some short trips already to meet with veneer suppliers and very specialist wood sellers but only one furniture builder locally. If there any co-operatives or galleries that come to mind that would be a real help too.
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Numbernine,
If you have the time you should visit The Wood Co-op on Granville Island in Vancouver. This gallery sells high end one of a kind pieces from artisans throughout British Columbia. It is a very inspirational place for woodworkers and lovers of craft alike. Enjoy your trip.
David
Thanks David, I'll check it out.William
There are two places in downtown Seattle that are must-see places. One is the cooperative Northwest Fine Woodworking Gallery near Pioneer Square.
http://www.nwfinewoodworking.com
The other is the commercial Fine Furniture Gallery at 1200 Western Av. This is within walking distance of Pike's Place Market if you want to be tourists also! Tom (tms), Peter Loh and I took a visitor from Great Britain on the tour last November.
http://www.finefurnituregallery.com/index.html
As far as meeting the woodworkers themselves, perhaps the galleries could put you in touch with some of the them. You might contact Peter Loh at his website and see if he has time -- you would enjoy spending time with him I think. Also, he might know of others for you to contact. Once you are able to contact one or two woodworkers directly, it'll probably be easier to network to a few others.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Wow. Those are great links...It looks like there is a lot going on in Vancouver.
As far as galleries, I've never been there but Thos. Moser has a showroom there. The link below will take you to his page.
http://www.thomasmoser.com/company/company.showrooms.view.php?showroom_id=24
That's actually the same showroom (Fine Furniture Gallery). It is a very cool place!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
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