The Association of Woodturners of Great Britain
The book of the collaboration pieces is now available to order from our Seminar website. The book includes before and after photographs of the pieces and some text from each participant about their recollections of Ray and the piece they finished.
The auction of the collaboration pieces is now live. To view and bid go to the Saleroom
The pieces are on display until the 21st of July at the Nature in Art Exhibition.
Don’t forget the exhibition starts on Tuesday 2nd July and is open until July 21st every day apart from Mondays.
The exhibition is at Nature in Art, Near Gloucester on the A38. For SatNav use GL2 9PG as the postcode and follow the brown signs.
The Ray Key Collaboration pieces (118 of them) will be on display along with approx 200 pieces in the “Masters in Turning” exhibition with piece on display and for sale from Ray Key, Reg Hawthorne and Stuart Mortimer. There will also be the AWGB travelling exhibition and some pieces from local turners. Many of these are also on sale.
There will also be demonstrations from the 2nd – 7th July from:
| 2nd | Phil Irons |
| 3rd | Pat Murphy / Jeff Belcher |
| 4th | Peter Dixon |
| 5th | Peter Harper |
| 6th | Keith Fenton |
| 7th | Paul Hannaby |
The 118 collaboration pieces have been returned by their makers (124 of them!) and all have been photographed. These can be seen on the collaboration page.
The exhibition at Nature in Art near Gloucester will be open from the 2nd – 21st July (except Mondays). Admission fees are on the Nature in Art Website.
With effect from the date of the AGM (14th April 2019) there are the following changes to AWGB officers :-
Russell Gibbs has resigned as vice-chairman and trustee.
Derek Puplett has been elected as vice-chairman. He will continue as secretary and will fulfill both roles.
Sheila Hughes has resigned as a trustee but will continue as newsletter editor.
Peter Bradwick has resigned as development officer and trustee.
Mark Hogan has resigned as seminar coordinator and trustee.
We would like to thank all those who are stepping down for their contribution to the AWGB and wish them well for the future. Not all of them will disappear completely (we don’t like to let people off the hook that easily!) so we look forward to their contributions as volunteers in the future.
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.
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.