American Association of Woodturners
Encyclopedia
The American Association of Woodturners (AAW) is the principal organization in the United States supporting the art and craft of woodturning
. Established in 1986 and headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota
, the organization encompasses nearly 14,000 members in the United States and many foreign nations. As of 2010, the AAW was affiliated with more than 330 local chapters. In addition to sponsoring an annual national symposium, the AAW provides support to local clubs for outreach and education. The 25th anniversary of the AAW was celebrated in 2011 at the annual symposium held in Saint Paul.
Woodturning, which has experienced exceptional growth and interest since AAW's founding, is a pursuit that goes back 4,000 years in human history – using craft’s most organic material, wood, as its primary medium. Woodturners create utilitarian, artistic, and sculptural wooden objects on mechanical lathes. The craft differs from most other forms of woodworking in that the wood stock rotates rapidly while sharpened cutting skews, gouges, and other tools are maneuvered by hand to shape the material.
Membership in AAW brings a variety of benefits, including a bimonthly magazine, insurance coverage, scholarships, national symposiums, educational opportunities for newcomers and youth, and a website where turners can display and market their woodturnings.
and Japan
. Virtual chapters are not geographically based but are organized around specific woodturning techniques. The three virtual chapters include the Ornamental Turners International, Segmented Woodturners, and Pen Turners www.principallypens.com. Ornamental woodturners specialize in the use of an ornamental lathe such as the Rose engine lathe
. Segmented woodturning
involves joining individual pieces of wood together prior to turning to create intricate patterns and dramatic visual effects. Pen turners specialize in making pens and other writing instruments out of both wood and synthetic materials.
, Kentucky
in 1987, and the 2012 symposium will be in San Jose, California. The annual symposium typically includes live presentations, an auction of selected woodturnings, an instant gallery that showcases current woodturning craft, a rotation of how-to and hands-on demonstrations, the world's largest trade show of commercial woodturning vendors, and a youth training center.
. The gallery features changing exhibits of art of all kinds made from wood, and there also is a gift shop. The gallery is open daily except Monday and Saturday. Admission is free.
Woodturning
Woodturning is a form of woodworking that is used to create wooden objects on a lathe . Woodturning differs from most other forms of woodworking in that the wood is moving while a stationary tool is used to cut and shape it...
. Established in 1986 and headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, the organization encompasses nearly 14,000 members in the United States and many foreign nations. As of 2010, the AAW was affiliated with more than 330 local chapters. In addition to sponsoring an annual national symposium, the AAW provides support to local clubs for outreach and education. The 25th anniversary of the AAW was celebrated in 2011 at the annual symposium held in Saint Paul.
Mission and Background
The AAW states: "Our purpose is to foster a wider understanding and appreciation of lathe-turning as a traditional and contemporary craft and a form of art among the general public and amateur, part-time, and professional woodturners. This will be accomplished by providing education, information, organization, technical assistance, and publications related to woodturning."Woodturning, which has experienced exceptional growth and interest since AAW's founding, is a pursuit that goes back 4,000 years in human history – using craft’s most organic material, wood, as its primary medium. Woodturners create utilitarian, artistic, and sculptural wooden objects on mechanical lathes. The craft differs from most other forms of woodworking in that the wood stock rotates rapidly while sharpened cutting skews, gouges, and other tools are maneuvered by hand to shape the material.
Membership in AAW brings a variety of benefits, including a bimonthly magazine, insurance coverage, scholarships, national symposiums, educational opportunities for newcomers and youth, and a website where turners can display and market their woodturnings.
Organization
The AAW is administered by a nine-member Board of Directors, all volunteers who serve three-year terms. Three board members are elected by the full membership each year and begin their terms in January. The Board employs an executive director and an editor, and appoints a Board of Advisors along with various committee members serving specific purposes, such as organizing the national symposium and overseeing AAW financial grants to clubs and individuals.American Woodturner Journal
The AAW magazine, American Woodturner, is published in print and online editions six times a year. Subscriptions to the journal are included with AAW membership, and individual copies are available on newsstands. Members may view all issues online. The publication contains articles aimed at both novice woodturners as well as intermediate craftspersons and professionals.Chapters
The AAW is affiliated with more than 330 local chapters, or clubs, and three "virtual" chapters. Local chapters are primarily in the United States but encompass groups in Canada, England, AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Virtual chapters are not geographically based but are organized around specific woodturning techniques. The three virtual chapters include the Ornamental Turners International, Segmented Woodturners, and Pen Turners www.principallypens.com. Ornamental woodturners specialize in the use of an ornamental lathe such as the Rose engine lathe
Rose engine lathe
A rose engine lathe is a specialized kind of geometric lathe. The headstock rocks back and forth with a rocking motion or along the spindle axis in a pumping motion, controlled by a rubber moving against a rosette or cam-like pattern mounted on the spindle, while the lathe spindle rotates...
. Segmented woodturning
Segmented turning
Segmented turning is turning on a lathe where the initial workpiece is composed of multiple glued-together parts. The process involves gluing up several pieces of wood to create patterns and visual effects in turned projects....
involves joining individual pieces of wood together prior to turning to create intricate patterns and dramatic visual effects. Pen turners specialize in making pens and other writing instruments out of both wood and synthetic materials.
Symposium
Annual symposiums have been sponsored and organized by the AAW each year since 1987, alternating in cities around the United States. The first symposium was held in LexingtonLexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
in 1987, and the 2012 symposium will be in San Jose, California. The annual symposium typically includes live presentations, an auction of selected woodturnings, an instant gallery that showcases current woodturning craft, a rotation of how-to and hands-on demonstrations, the world's largest trade show of commercial woodturning vendors, and a youth training center.
AAW Gallery of Wood Art
The AAW operates the AAW Gallery of Wood Art www.galleryofwoodart.org in Saint Paul's historic Landmark CenterLandmark Center (St. Paul)
St. Paul’s historic Landmark Center, completed in 1902, originally served as the United States Post Office, Court House, and Custom House for the state of Minnesota. It was designed by Willoughby J. Edbrooke, who served as Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury Department in 1891-92...
. The gallery features changing exhibits of art of all kinds made from wood, and there also is a gift shop. The gallery is open daily except Monday and Saturday. Admission is free.
External links
- American Association of Woodturners - official site