Imagine: the gentle bend of a meandering stream or the fluid lines of a sports car. These beautiful organic forms are intrinsically pleasing to us. You can bring this same graceful quality to your projects by learning the basics of bending wood.

Join Kelly for a 3-day hands-on adventure as we learn the basics of laminate bending, a cold wood forming technique. We will learn how to fabricate parts that are structural and elegant using both parallel and tapered laminates. The end goal of this technique-based class will not be a finished piece. Rather we want to explore a new design vocabulary to enhance our future work. Be prepared to take your work and skills up a notch!

Prerequisites: Shop Certification = Intro to Guild Safety, Getting Started (If needed), and Core Tool Certification. This workshop is suitable for members of all skill levels.

Curved components can be both functional and sculptural. Some of the applications for bent wood include stretchers, legs, aprons, musical instruments, boxes, curved casework or curved doors, and pure sculpture. Incorporating an aesthetically pleasing flow of line allows you to create work that is more sculptural and adds value to your project.

Topics to be covered:

• tips and tricks for accurately creating thin laminates using the bandsaw, jointer and planer
• creating parallel laminates and tapered laminates
• design and fabrication of a bending form
• working safely with curved parts while using the jointer, planer and bandsaw
• adhesive selection
• clamping strategies
• how to choose the right bending technique for a project

About Kelly Parker:

Kelly Parker is a designer and maker of contemporary studio furniture and sculpture. After graduating with a degree in Biochemistry she worked in the corporate world for 18 years before taking a rather circuitous route into art. In 2009 she shucked the safety of the corporate world and decided to make her living as a woodworker. She has taken numerous design and technique classes at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center and Marc Adams School of Woodworking where she is currently working on her Michael Fortune Fellowship. She has been awarded a professional development grant from the Furniture Society, was the first recipient of a professional development grant awarded by the Krenov Foundation and was recently awarded Best in Show at the biennial chair exhibition sponsored by American Craft Today, hosted by The Bascom Gallery in North Carolina. Her work has been featured in Fine Woodworking, Australian Wood Review, and Rooted: Creating a Sense of Place: Contemporary Studio Furniture. Kelly’s work often incorporates other materials such as metal, glass and acrylic. She is a passionate advocate for the craft and enjoys sharing her knowledge with others.

Check out the Guild Scholarship Program to see if you qualify for the various scholarship we offer.

The guild promotes and encourages all members to act responsibly in matters of health and safety by adhering to the following measures:

Staying Home When Sick: Members are urged to prioritize their health and the health of others by refraining from attending guild events, workshops, or gatherings when experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness, especially those associated with COVID-19.

Follow CDC guidelines: If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, you are expected to follow the current CDC guidelines.

Class Cancellation Policy