American Association of Woodturners Symposium in Hartford CT, June 18 - 20

Wow! Where have I been???? I'm ashamed to see that I haven't posted to this blog since December. Guess I've been busy, to say the least!

Here it is almost summer again, and time for the annual American Association of Woodturners Symposium. This year's symposium will be held in Hartford Connecticut, June 18 - 20. I hope you'll all join me for a great time, filled with woodturning, inspiration, and friendship! The AAW website, www.woodturner.org, is the place to find out more info.

The theme of this year's Professional Outreach Program Exhibition is "Teapots". Here is my contribution. It's a Gilded Sea Urchin Teapot, named "Having Tea with my Good Friend Wiley-O". Wiley-O is a cat who now lives in the spirit world (I miss him terribly). Inside the teapot is a bit of his favorite brew - catnip. The pieces in the exhibition will be on display for the duration of the symposium, and then will be sold at live auction on the last day. I love those live auctions! Very exciting! Especially the live auction at the Saturday Banquet. That's where the best pieces by the AAW's most skillful artists are auctioned off to benefit the Education Opportunity Grant Fund. Don't miss that one! It's always the highlight of the symposium for me!


The AAW symposium is a big deal for me this year because I'm an Invited Demonstrator, for the first time. Oh, I've demonstrated at the symposium several times since my first one in 2001, but I always had to apply and be approved. This year, I'm Invited! I guess that means higher status. It's going to be hard to tell, they treat all of the demonstrators very well.

I'll be a busy girl in Hartford! I'm doing 6 regular rotations, and a panel discussion. One of my demos is brand new, and so is my panel presentation. I'll be quite busy between now and June17! More on that in my next post. And it won't be 5 months, this time, I promise!

Are you planning to come to the symposium? Just do it!! You won't regret it! Even if you didn't want to sign up for any of the over 100 excellent demonstrations, the Trade Show and Instant Gallery are FREE and open to the public! That alone is worth the trip! I'll be demonstrating at the Trade Show when I'm not
doing a symposium rotation.

 As you probably noticed, I've been having waaay too much fun with these Sea Urchins! In fact, I just ordered about 150 more, in several different sizes! If you want to try them out, my sources are: www.shellhorizons.com, and www.usshell.com.

Hope to see you in Hartford!

Cindy