Largest woodturning event in the world to take place in Portland, June 14-17

PORTLAND, Ore. - June 13, 2018 - PRLog -- The American Association of Woodturners (AAW), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the art and craft of woodturning worldwide, will host its 32nd Annual International Woodturning Symposium at the Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Portland, Oregon, June 14-17, 2018. The conference will bring together more than 1,200 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.

In addition to educational sessions and demonstrations exclusively for registered conference attendees, the AAW Symposium offers events, which are free and open to the public, that offer a rare glimpse into the world of woodturning. Public events include exhibitions, galleries, and benefit auctions, as well as a trade show jam-packed with the newest woodturning products, tool and lathe manufacturers, and supplies. AAW welcomes the public, all ages, to visit, explore, and develop an appreciation for the art and craft of woodturning. Public events and hours.

EXHIBITIONS
The AAW Symposium will showcase a collection of exquisite woodturned works in wood in the exhibitions and galleries. Visitors and attendees will have the opportunity to browse stunning contemporary sculptural and functional turned works by established and emerging artists.

Exhibition Hours (Exhibit Hall E)
Thursday, June 14, Opening & Reception, 4:50 p.m. - 6:20 p.m. (PST)
Friday, June 15, 8:20 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (PST)
Saturday, June 16, 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (PST)
Sunday, June 17, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (PST)

Out of the Woods, offers a lively mix of smaller-scale works by an international roster of 38 established and emerging wood artists from 18 countries. The works range from cheerfully subversive to serious and most everything in between.

Dia*Log, is AAW's annual member exhibition. The theme was chosen to honor Portland, a city that prides itself on a diversity of voices, and in recognition of Oregon's long history of logging. Perhaps more important, the theme speaks to the way in which we find common ground through woodturning. Two artist awards will be presented at a ceremony on Saturday evening - a Masters' Choice Award and a People's Choice Award.

Instant Gallery - The AAW Symposium's Instant Gallery is the largest display of turned-wood objects under one roof and highlights more than 1,000 art works and crafts in wood by woodturners in attendance at the event.

AUCTIONS
The AAW Symposium's auctions offer enthusiasts an opportunity to add to their wood art collections (or start a collection). Both live fundraising auctions will be streamed simultaneously online at http://www.auction2018.woodturner.org.

The AAW Live Benefit Auction on Friday, June 15, 5:30 p.m. (PST), supports a wide array of woodturning educational programming, grants, and initiatives, and features 44 pieces by established and emerging wood artists. Browse auction work.

The Out of the Woods auction on Saturday, June 16, 3:30 p.m. (PST) supports the AAW's Professional Outreach Program (POP) and features 39 small-scale pieces by studio artists from around the world. Browse auction work.

Live Auction Schedule
Friday, June 15, 5:30 p.m. (PST) - AAW Live Benefit Auction, Portland Ballroom
Saturday, June 16, 3:30 p.m. (PST) - Out of the Woods, Exhibit Hall E

TRADE SHOW
The latest and greatest woodturning products will be on display in the AAW Symposium's enormous trade show. Jam-packed with state-of-the-art woodturning lathes, accessories, tools, supplies, wood, and more, visitors can observe a range of impromptu demonstrations and see equipment up close and in action. Featured trade show exhibitors.

Trade Show Hours (Free and open to the public - Exhibit Hall D)
Friday, June 15, 10:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. (PST)
Saturday, June 16, 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (PST)
Sunday, June 17, 8:00 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. (PST)

CHARITABLE PROJECTS
The 2018 AAW Symposium will raise money for Meals on Wheels People, of Portland, which provides nutritional and social lifeline for seniors through dozens of meal sites in Multnomah, Washington, and Clark counties, and Meals on Wheels delivery to homebound seniors. Attendees and visitors are invited to purchase a handcrafted bowl of any size for $25 to support Meal on Wheels People.

Additionally, visitors will have an opportunity to browse a display of woodturned boxes made and donated by AAW members for Beads of Courage, a nonprofit that supports local children coping with serious illnesses.

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 16,000 members and a network of over 360 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 award-winning journal, American Woodturner, is the foremost publication on the art and craft of woodturning in the world. To learn more, visit https://www.woodturner.org.