National Seminar 2023
After last years success our flagship event is back at the The Hillgrove Hotel, Monaghan. With a fantastic line of demonstrators from the US, Europe, UK and Ireland, with a selection of trade stands stocking all sorts of goodies, and with great food and company, there is something for everyone. We have negotiated a special discount rate available to attendees of the seminar at a rate of -
€130 for a single room B&B per night, or €288 for 2 nights B&B PLUS DINNER ON FRIDAY NIGHT
€150 for a double room B&B per night, or or €356 for 2 nights B&B PLUS DINNER ON FRIDAY NIGHT
This is only available by contacting the Hillgrove hotel directly on 04781288 - the rate is not available online!! Please quote the “Irish Woodturners Guild” Seminar rather than “IWG”.
Scroll down for more information on this years Demonstrators.
The IWG National Seminar is supported by the the Design & Crafts Council Ireland.
This Years Demonstrators
Barbara Dill - US
Soon after Barbara started turning wood, in 1990, she became fascinated with multi axis spindles. She started experimenting with them all through the 1990’s until she became frustrated because of not knowing what to do next. In 2006, she isolated herself in her shop and began to see what these many various multi axis spindles have in common. She discovered an approach that allows one to make decisions that can take an idea to a new level of exploration. She continues to enjoy sharing this information with students, writing about these ideas, and is the author of a book called “Multi Axis Spindle Turning: A Systematic Exploration,” (Schiffer, 2018). Barbara enjoyed a 21-year career as a nurse and has been a full time woodturner and studio artist for 33 years.
Ulf Jansson - Sweden
Woodturning has been my way of 'charging my batteries' for more than 40 years and the perfect complement to my theoretical work in Electrical Engineering. Using both halves of the brain has made me a complete and happy person. My business card says woodturner. If I talk to someone initiated, I usually add "end grain turner". For the vast majority, it is completely irrelevant–but it is not without significance. Turning end grain is demanding but in return adds the possibility of turning very thinly, down to one or even below 1mm wall thickness. I like the sheer and slender. The road to a thin painted bowl with a cut edge is long and time consuming and contains a lot of joy and many challenges. Understanding the tools and the properties of wood (and other usable materials) are vital parts of the never ending spiral of creative woodturning.
Less is more and the simple forms in combination with delicate turning and some cuts on the rim is very much me!"
Phil Irons - UK
Born in Sydney, Australia, Phil's introduction to woodturning came at the age of 13 when his father acquired an 1870s child's treadle lathe. Woodturning became a serious hobby in his late 20's and after a six-year spell in the travel industry, he took the decision to become a professional woodturner in 1994. His knowledge and appreciation of English timbers was initially gained from working as a tree surgeon/forester for several years. Phil is the author of the best-selling project book “Woodturning: Two in One”. The book has been translated into 9 languages and to date, is the only English language woodturning project book to have been translated into Italian. He is best known for his vessels and hollow forms with clear, fluid shapes and flowing lines. He uses contemporary coloured dyes to enhance hidden figure in pale woods, mostly sourced from tree surgeons and firewood merchants. With the addition of threaded lids, his vessels lend themselves to becoming urns. These beautiful functional pieces are highly sought all over the world. Phil describes his urns as "functional art" that can be displayed whether they contain ashes or not. He says “It is a huge honour that people want to keep the ashes of their loved one in a piece of my artwork.” He is a past president of the Association of Woodturners of Great Britain and a member of the American Association of Woodturners. He lives in Warwickshire, UK with his wife Cristina, and dogs.
Richard Findley - UK
Richard is a production turner based in Leicestershire (UK). His background is in woodworking, coming from a long line of professional woodworkers. It is the variety of work that he enjoys, undertaking a wide range of commissions for furnituremakers, restorers, architects, designers and joiners. His work is mainly based in the UK, but his growing reputation for making the highest quality turned work has earned him commissions for items that have gone to the US, Canada and Australia. Richard is a well-known and popular demonstrator, having written for Woodturning Magazine for more than 11 years and demonstrated all over the UK, Ireland and USA
Joe Laird - Ireland
Wood has been central to Joes entire life. As a 7th generation cabinet maker Joe has spent all his working life with wood and is truly passionate about this craft. He sometimes likes the wood to determine the final piece, often using the wood's natural qualities and idiosyncrasies to enhance the visual and aesthetic appeal of the finished item. Adding texture, colour and metals to certain pieces is a particular feature of his contemporary work. Joe has brought his wood skills to the wood turning world only in the last 20years, and turned wood turning into his profession 16years ago, with his time now spent both teaching and demonstrating Worldwide and regularly from his home studio in Dublin. Joe has served for 10 years on the IWG National Executive and 3 years serving as Chairman. Recently Joe has been accepted onto the Register of Professional Turners (RPT) as the first International wood turner outside the UK to be accepted. Joe hopes to spend many more years demonstrating, teaching, learning and exploring the end less possibilities of this fascinating natural material we all love.
