Photo by Christian Goodlander
To coincide with A Revolution in Wood: The Bresler Collection, the current exhibition at the Renwick Gallery, members from local woodturning associations (the Capital Area Woodturners, Chesapeake Woodturners, and Montgomery County Woodturners) demonstrate the process used by the artists in the exhibition to make their one-of-a-kind pieces. On the day I attended, Bert A. Bleckwenn, president of the Montgomery County group, led the hour-long demonstration held right outside the exhibition space. What's remarkable about the demo is that you're able to first see wood the way nature made it, and then, perhaps a few thousand revolutions later, how an artist would begin to shape the wood on the lathe.
"Turning is an art form and not so much a mechanical process. We let the natural beauty of the wood show through," Bleckwenn told us when he stepped away from behind the plexi-safety glass to engage with the audience. When he worked with a piece of wood, he transformed it from a rough chunk to a goblet shape, then passed it around so we could see, admire, and most importantly, feel the cup. He also worked with a long, thin piece of wood, creating a spindle shape: each careful groove of the tool added another element. He showed us the six to eight tools used in lathe turning, including gouges and scrapers. Perhaps the most important tool to the woodturner is his fingers. "The fingers are a very good tool," he told us, "as I can actually feel the thickness as I go down."
After the demonstration, walk through the exhibition to see the Breslers's amazing collection. Lathe demonstrations at the Renwick are held on Tuesdays afternoons from 12-1 pm, and every other Saturday. Check our schedule for more information.
The exhibition is on view through January 30, 2011.
