News Archive
September 2011—
Center Director, Steve Loar, featured in the American Association of Woodturners
new publication
"Woodturning Today: A Dramatic Evolution"
When the American Association of Woodturners decided to put together a book to mark its twenty-fifth anniversary, it tapped a handful of the field's stalwarts for ideas.
Among them was IUP Art faculty member Steve Loar, whose concept "significant moments in the woodturning field" ended up driving much of the book's format and content. Woodturning Today: A Dramatic Evolution was released in June 2011. Read the full story here.
August 2011—
Graduate student, James McNabb, recently completed a comission for the Dean of the College of Fine Arts. The project entailed designing and making an eight-foot long conference table. McNabb used two walnut slabs from a felled tree in his home state of New Jersey. Combining classic techniques, with modern technology, he created a unique piece for the College to appreciate for generations to come.
July 2011—
Center graduate and current facilities technician, Mike Stadler, recently contributed an impressive wood installation piece
to the College of Performing Arts. The piece is suspended in the glass atrium of the Performing Arts Center, located between Fisher and Waller buildings on the IUP campus.
July 2011—
Faculty member, Alphonse Mattia, held a week-long workshop at the prestigeous Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass, CO. The workshop, entitled "Take A Walk On The Soft Side: Upholstery Basics" focused on learning both traditional and modern upholstery methods, including advanced principles of frame design.
May 2011—
The Graduate Art Association (GAA) held its annual juried graduate student exhibition in the University Museum. The show is open to students from all areas of the Department of Art, including the Center. This year's juror was acclaimed maker, Gary Knox Bennett. Bennett flew in from Oakland, CA to survey and choose works to be displayed in this year's exhibiltion as well as speak to students regarding the creative direction of their work.
The BottleWorks Exhibition During the past four years, our students from the Center for Turning and Furniture Design and College of Fine Arts of IUP have participated in several community outreach projects. These projects have been made possible through our program's professional development and business practice division called "CenterWorks".
The Adirondack III: Transformation and Reinvention exhibition at the Society for Contemporary Crafts features 12 chairs, designed and made by students from the Center for Turning and Furniture Design. It is an encore performance representing the original viewing at the University Museum of Indiana University of Pennsylvania in early spring of 2008, including 33 chairs by students from 12 schools from across the country. This was the third exhibition of its type organized by the Center (www.centerworks.us). The first Adirondack chair exhibition was held in 2001, at the Society for Contemporary Crafts in Pittsburgh and the second in 2005, at the University Museum of IUP. These exhibitions grew out of a class project assignment bringing together furniture design and professional exhibition experiences.
Tim King of Rochester Mills, PA, continues to bring an impressive set of experiences that include work in large commercial woodworking firms, retail sales, and management as the Center's Studio Technician.
The Center's new custom CNC, a component of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, awarded the Center $5000 in order to engage the Center's Artist-in-Residence, Linda VanGehuchten, in various Outreach activities that involved her class students, the student chapter of the National Art Education Association, and the local chapter of the American Association of Woodturners is moving from the design phase into production at Baker Technical Services, in Blairsville, PA. It is scheduled for delivery by Fall 2008.
In February 2007, the Center represented innovative of IUP, adjacent to a special dinner where the Music program announced their commitment to become an All Steinway Program with the purchase of 82 pianos. The Center mounted a display of student and faculty work, and another that featured the Governor's Award (see CenterWorks) at Pittsburgh's Heinz Hall prior to a special concert by the Pittsburgh Orchestra.
Several College of the Redwoods alumni visited the Center in April 2007. Among them, Anissa Kapsales an editor from Fine Woodworking, who was responsible for the Adirondack chair feature in the June issue.
Alumni Weekendin April 2007 featured the Center as an adjacent site/tour to the Cogswell Music Department and their new Steinway Program designation. The Center had a full compliment of students working and hosted nearly 50 visitors.
The Center continues to sponsor the monthly meetings of the Indiana County Chapter of the American Association of Woodturners.
Walk Through 2007, on May 3rd, was very successful, with many families and community members touring the studios. Walk Through is an annual open-studio celebration of student work from the IUP Department of Art.
In February 2008, the Center hosted a 1 1/2-day experimental collaborative workshop, Lake Effect, that brought together Center students, 2 of our 3 Artists-in-Residence (Linda and Stephan), and several local turners. A resulting piece was submitted to the AAW's Turned For Use II competition, and there is lots of interest in having a second (longer!) event.
March 29, 2008 opens the Center's exhibition Adirondack III at the University Museum (through May 3, 2008) with a substantial catalog, and the official launch of the Back-Story documentation that is now part of this site. The chairs for this third exhibition were designed and made by students, faculty, and alumni from 11 invited schools as well as students of Advanced Woodworking in the Center for Turning and Furniture Design, within the Department of Art. Each of the 33 chairs will be accompanied by a large "storyboard" that will display concept sketches, production notes, photographs, references, and models that were part of the chair's creation.