The Association of Woodturners of Great Britain
The WCT bursary awards will take place in 2019. Applications must be received by the Turners’ Company by close of business on Friday 17 May 2019.
The awards are open to UK resident turners whose work is well regarded by their peers and who could put forward a clear plan of how the award will advance their work, expand the boundaries of the craft of turning and raise the profile of the craft.
More details about the bursary awards are on the WCT website
GMC Publications and the Woodworker’s Institute are excited to announce a new British Woodturner of the Year Competition. Selected entries will be displayed at an upcoming exhibition, Celebrating British Craft, which will be held at the Oxo Gallery in London from Wednesday 8 May to Sunday 19 May 2019. The event is designed to highlight, promote and showcase quality, finely-crafted woodwork of various kinds and to provide an interactive experience with demonstrations of traditional woodworking skills.
The competition is free to enter and the closing date for photographic entries is Sunday 14 April. The item you enter doesn’t have to be a new piece, as long as it was made within the last two years and hasn’t won a prize at a major woodturning event.
There are three categories:
More details on the Woodworkers Institute website
After Ray Key passed away, his wife, Liz, with some help from Reg Hawthorne and Paul Hannaby, found quite a number of part turned items in his workshop. After discussion with the AWGB Executive it was agreed, following the example of the Pablo Nemzoff and Tony Boase collaborations, that these pieces would be sent to a number of internationally renowned turners to finish in their own style. The resulting pieces will be exhibited and later sold. The proceeds from the sale will be divided between Liz Key and the AWGB. As well as the exhibition we also intend to produce an illustrated book of the finished pieces.
Such was the sphere of influence of Ray, the project has resulted in 111 turners from five continents agreeing to take part in the collaboration and pieces being posted out to them (which was a mammoth task in itself and certainly kept Paul’s local post master busy!). Already some very impressive pieces have started to be returned.
All the pieces will be photographed and displayed on the AWGB website in advance of the three week exhibition at Nature in Art, Gloucester from the 2nd to the 21st of July.
The turners collaborating with the project are:
UK
| Andrew Hall |
| Andy Coates |
| Angus Cline |
| Bob Chapman |
| Carlyn Lindsay |
| Colwin Way |
| Dave Appleby |
| Dave Regester |
| David Springett |
| David Woodward |
| Dennis Hales |
| Don White |
| Eleanor Lakelin |
| Gary Rance |
| Jason Breach |
| Jay Heryet |
| Joey Richardson |
| John Boyne-Aitken |
| Jules Tattersall |
| Kevin Hutson |
| Les Thorne |
| Louise Hibbert |
| Margaret Garrard |
| Mark Baker |
| Mark Hancock |
| Mark Sanger |
| Mary Ashton |
| Melvyn Firmager |
| Mick Hanbury |
| Mick O’Donnell |
| Nick Agar |
| Paul Hannaby |
| Phil Irons |
| Reg Hawthorne |
| Richard Kennedy |
| Rosemary Wright |
| Roy Weare |
| Sally Burnett |
| Simon Hope |
| Stuart King |
| Stuart Mortimer |
| Tracy Owen |
| Trevor Lucky |
Australia
| Andrew Potocnik |
| Guilio Marcolongo |
| Neil Turner |
| Richard Raffan |
| Terry Martin |
Canada
| Andre Martel |
| Art Liestman |
| Marilyn Campbell |
| Mike Hosaluk |
| Stephen Hogbin |
France
| Benoit Averly |
| Jean-Francois Escoulen |
| Joss Naigeon |
| Pascal Oudet |
Germany
Hans Weissflog
Greece
Nikos Siragas
Ireland
| Ambrose O’Halloran |
| Ciaran Forbes |
| Emmet Kane |
| Glenn Lucas |
| Joe Laird |
| Liam O’Neil |
| Max Brosi |
| Robert O’Connor |
| Roger Bennett |
| Seamus Cassidy |
| Willie Creighton |
Israel
Eli Avisera
Netherlands
Marcel Van Berkel
New Zealand
| Rolly Munro |
| Terry Scott |
South Africa
John Wessells
Spain
Pepe Lopez-Rubio
USA
| Al Stirt |
| Alan & Mary Lacer |
| Andi Wolfe |
| Betty Scarpino |
| Bonnie Klein |
| Christian Burchard |
| Cindy Drozda |
| Curt Theobald |
| Cynthia Carden Gibson |
| David Ellsworth |
| Dick Sing |
| Graeme Priddle |
| Hayley Smith |
| Jaques Vesery |
| Joe Seltzer |
| Johannes Michelsen |
| John Jordan |
| Keith Gotschall |
| Keith Tompkins |
| Kelly Dunn |
| Kirk Deheer |
| Kurt Hertzog |
| Linda Ferber |
| Mark Sfirri |
| Merryl Saylan |
| Michael Gibson |
| Mike Mahoney |
| Mike Nish |
| Mike Scott |
| Molly Winton |
| Nick Cook |
| Sharon Doughtie |
| Stuart Batty |
| Tom Wirsing |
We are pleased to announce that Phil Irons has been elected as the new AWGB president. The president is elected by the trustees for a three year term. Phil will be co-opted as a trustee until the post can be ratified at the AGM on April 14th.
The trustees would like to congratulate Phil on his new role and look forward to putting Phil’s extensive experience of the woodturning world to good use
Ray Key passed away on the 14th of September 2018.
Amongst his achievements are:
Becoming the founding Chairman of the AWGB in 1987.Awarded life membership in 1997 and appointed President in 1998.
In 2001 he was made a Life Member of The American Association of Woodturners (At this time the only non-American afforded this honour).
in 2002 Ray was made a Freeman by presentation of the Worshipful Company of Turners. In 2011 through the Worshipful Company of Turners he became a Freeman of The City of London. In 2012 the Worshipful Company of Turners presented Ray with their first ever “Master in Turning’ award” and in 2017 he was awarded the status if Liveryman by presentation.
In 2015 Ray was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List (for services to the craft of Wood Turning).
Ray left a large number of part turned pieces of work which his wife Liz and son Darren have kindly agreed can be used for this collaboration project.We plan to use this opportunity to celebrate Ray’s huge contribution to the AWGB and turning worldwide
We are inviting turners from around the world, who have at some point had a connection to Ray, to select one of the unfinished pieces of work, finish it in their own style and to return it to be included in an exhibition (in July 2019). We also intend to produce a book documenting all pieces and contributors. Ultimately the pieces will all be sold and the proceeds will be shared between Ray’s widow Liz and the AWGB development / grant funds. The AWGB plan to use some of the funds to set up a commemorative bursary or award to honour Ray’s memory.
It is with deep regret that I have to inform you that Ray Key BEM, president of the AWGB passed away on the evening of the 14th of September. Ray was a founder member of the AWGB and has been involved throughout the 31 years of the association’s existence in roles including chairman and president. He was a source of inspiration to so many with his exquisite turnings pure of form that needed no colour or embellishment to stand out.
Our thoughts are with Ray’s wife Liz and son Darren at this sad time.
Paul Hannaby, AWGB Chairman
The home office have drafted a number of amendments to the offensive weapons bill in an attempt to reduce knife crime. However, the amendment they are proposing will make it illegal to deliver any bladed product to a residential address. This also applies to purchases outside the UK.
The AWGB is opposed to this bill because it would severely impact on woodturners trying to pursue their hobby.
We suggest you contact your local MP and explain the shortcomings of the proposed changes. You can also sign the petition to have article 15 removed from the bill by following this link https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/222776
We are trying to do what we can to get the bill amended.
We are pleased to announce the following new members of the team –
Webmaster & data manager: Carl Burn
Workshops coordinator: Alan Buckle
Alan will be dealing with bookings and place allocations on our training workshops.
AWGB ambassador: Phil Irons
Phil’s role will be partly helping out with the day to day running of the organisation, partly representing the AWGB and partly bringing his extensive experience to bear by acting as an advisor.
Every two years the Turners’ Company offers one or more bursaries, worth up to a combined value of £10,000, to help talented woodturners develop their skills and move to a higher level of achievement. the awards are open to UK resident turners whose work is well regarded by their peers and who can put forward a clear plan for how the award will advance their work, expand the boundaries of turning and raise the profile of the craft.
For more information visit the Turners’ Company online here.
To download more information about the bursary scheme click on the link:
You can also download the application form using the link below:
At this year’s Seminar, the AWGB is introducing a Club Collaboration Competition involving a
minimum of five club members to produce a wooden tractor. First prize for the winning team will be £250, second prize will be £150 and third prize will be £100.
1. The Collaboration Competition is open to both Affiliated and Associated Clubs and judging will take place at the 2018 International Seminar, to be held at Yarnfield Training and Conference Centre from 5th to 7th October 2018.
2. Club teams should comprise of a minimum of 5 Club members and each club may submit one entry.
3. The theme for the competition is a Tractor and judging emphasis will be on as many working/moving parts as possible. Battery powered, moving components are NOT permitted.
4. The maximum dimensions are 40cms long x 30cms wide x 25cms high
5. The tractor must be made solely from wood, which may be any variety.
6. Preference in judging will be given to turning techniques as opposed to other disciplines such as carving or pyrography.
7. Clubs must submit a materials list with their entry, together with any supplementary plans or techniques that may assist the judges with their decision.
8. Judging is ‘blind’ and therefore any documentation should NOT contain information that will identify the club or individuals.
9. However, the AWGB competition co-ordinator WILL require a separate, full list of participants in the collaboration, together with photographs of the participants and of the entry, during production.
10. The judge’s decision is final.
Get those thinking caps on and teams organised! We are looking forward to seeing what can be produced.