Benefit auctions & exhibitions of wood art to headline global woodturning event June 25-28

PITTSBURGH - May 28, 2015 - PRLog -- The American Association of Woodturners (AAW), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing the art and craft of woodturning worldwide, will host its 29th Annual International Symposium, June  25-28, 2015, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center,1000 Fort Duquesne Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

The conference will bring together more than more than 1,800 turners from around the globe to learn, share and celebrate the art and craft of woodturning making it the largest woodturning event in the world.

Headlining the public events are exhibitions and benefit auctions of exquisite sculptural and functional works in wood. Additionally, a trade show with ongoing woodturning demonstrations and an Instant Gallery of attendee turned art are open to the community. A schedule and descriptions of public events follow.

PUBLIC EVENTS
Open to the public, free admission

BENEFIT AUCTIONS
Guests may bid on museum-quality works in wood. Auction proceeds support the AAW’s grant, outreach, and educational woodturning programs.

Live & Online Benefit Auctions

• EOG Live Auction
Friday, June 26 - 7:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. EST, 3rd Floor Ballroom

• POP Creativity in Construction Auction
Saturday, June 27 - 3:15 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, Rooms 301-303

• Simultaneous Online Auctions
Preview auction work, register and bid online at http://www.auction2015.woodturner.org

Silent Benefit Auction
• Friday, June 26 - Opens 8:40 a.m. EST - Instant Gallery, Hall E
• Saturday, June 27 - Closes 8:30 p.m. EST - 3rd Floor Ballroom

EXHIBITIONS
Visitors may explore stunning contemporary sculptural and functional works in wood by established and emerging artists from ten countries.

• Opening reception: Thursday, June 25,  5:30-7:30 p.m. EST in rooms 301-303
• Friday, June 26, 9:10 a.m.- 6:30 p.m. EST in rooms 301-303
• Saturday, June 27, 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST in rooms 301-303

Exhibition Descriptions

Merging
Reflecting the confluence of a 3,000-year-old craft and modern approaches to design, narrative, and material, our 2015 exhibition, “Merging,” honors both the meeting point of Pittsburgh’s waterways and the essence of the AAW international symposium – a venue where turners of all levels and approaches meet. The exhibition, including both invited and juried artists, reflects the wide range of ideas, techniques, and approaches being developed by both our amateur and professional members. This year’s jurors were Stephen Keeble, former president of the Collectors of Wood Art; Michael McMillan, assistant curator, Fuller Craft Museum; and Derek Weidman, professional artist. There are two awards presented as part of this exhibition – the Masters’ Choice and the People’s Choice.

Creativity in Construction – A Collaboration of Materials
At its most straightforward, “a collaboration of materials” means using more than one material, but the definition also includes applied surface materials or unique combinations of a single base material. The theme, suggested by sculptor and former American Woodturner editor Betty Scarpino, provides a leaping off point for the 30+ participating artists, some of whom pushed their capabilities into new areas with unfamiliar materials or techniques.

Since 2007, AAW’s Professional Outreach Program (POP) has sponsored invitational exhibitions of small scale works. The annual show brings together works by professional studio turners from many countries. For 2015, the POP Committee opened its traditionally invitation-only annual exhibition to a limited number of juried pieces. Jurors for this exhibition were Kate Lydon, Center for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh; Rachel Delphia, The Alan G. and Jane A. Lehman Curator of Decorative Arts and Design at the Carnegie Art Museum, Pittsburgh; and Steve Loar, Director, Center for Turning and Furniture Design, Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Jacques Vesery: 2015 POP Merit Award
The exquisitely carved and painted trompe l’oeil work of Jacques Vesery is unmistakable, despite subject matter as disparate as baseballs and nautilus shells. The layered colors, small scale, and realistic detail entice viewers into a world seemingly inspired by nature and geometry, but with surprising shifts that are entirely the artist’s own invention. The POP Merit Award recognizes Jacques’ significant and enduring place as an artist in the woodturning field and his many contributions as a teacher, mentor, and leader both within the AAW and beyond. The POP Merit Award is given to an artist whose body of work and career have contributed significantly to the growth of woodturning as an art form. Previous recipients have been David Ellsworth, Clay Foster, Giles Gilson, Stephen Hogbin, Mark Lindquist, Richard Raffan, and Merryll Saylan.

Steve Loar “Then and Now”
Guest Artist - Educator, author, and artist Steve Loar uses themes and narratives – often drawn from popular rock songs – to guide him in creating evocative, layered compositions. “Then and Now” includes early and very fresh works, all reflecting Steve’s impeccable attention to story, detail, craftsmanship, and mastery of the fully-round composition. His collaborations with cast-off components from noted artists in the field bring an added dimension to the exhibition for the informed woodworker. Steve is the director of the Center for Turning and Furniture Design at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is a working professional artist.

WOODTURNING TRADESHOW
Guests may observe ongoing woodturning demonstrations and browse state-of-the-art woodturning products, supplies, and more.

• Friday, June 26 - 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. EST – Hall D
• Saturday, June 27 - 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST – Hall D

CHARITABLE INITIATIVES
Visitors may buy handcrafted woodturned bowls for only $25 to raise money for Variety the Children’s Charity of Pittsburgh, as well as view a display of wooden boxes made and donated by AAW members for children coping with serious illness through the nonprofit Beads of Courage program.

• Friday, June 26 - 8:40 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST – Hall E
• Saturday, June 27 - 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST – Hall E

ABOUT THE AAW
The American Association of Woodturners (AAW) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, dedicated to advancing the art and craft of woodturning worldwide by offering opportunities for education, information, inspiration, and community to those interested in turning wood. Established in 1986, AAW currently has more than 15,000 members and a network of over 350 local chapters globally representing professionals, amateurs, artists, hobbyists, gallery owners, collectors, and others. The AAW possesses the single largest collection of woodturning information anywhere and its journal, American Woodturner, is the foremost publication on the art and craft of woodturning in the world. To learn more, visit woodturner.org.