Instructors display their wares at Messler Gallery

"New Work by Faculty,” an exhibition of fine wood furniture, turned objects, carvings and ceramics, opened June 13 at the Messler Gallery of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine. It will run through Sept. 17.

The 23 makers in the exhibition are current-year instructors at the center. Their work is stylistically diverse, befitting a school whose teaching philosophy encourages each student to find his or her own creative voice, according to Peter Korn, the center’s executive director.

“The excellence of these pieces conveys the passion and vitality of contemporary craft at its best,” Korn says.

International exhibitors include Adrian Ferrazzutti of Canada; Aled Lewis of Wales; Chris Pye of England, and David Upfill-Brown of Australia.

U.S. exhibitors include Nick Cook of Marietta, Ga.; Barbara Dill of Rockville, Va.; J. Paul Fennell of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Mark Gardner of Saluda, N.C.; Keith Gotschall of Salida, Colo.; Garrett Hack of Thetford Center, Vt.; Beth Ireland of Boston; Clark Kellogg of Houston; Yuri Kobayashi of Westport, Mass.; Brian Persico of Mount Vernon, Vt.; and Seth Rolland of Port Townsend, Wash.

The Maine contingent includes Stephen Gleasner and Tim Rousseau of Appleton; Mason McBrien of Union; Jim Macdonald of Burnham; Mac Ray of Damariscotta; Brian Reid of Rockland, and Simon van der Ven of Lincolnville.

The center is a non-profit, year-round school that offers courses in furniture making and related arts such as carving and woodturning.

Paradise City

The Paradise City Arts Festival spring show was held Memorial Day weekend in Northampton, Mass., and featured 260 juried artists from 25 states.

The show is winner of national awards for its extensive selection of fine furniture and functional art. Founded by two Northampton artists, this event is an opportunity to experience an entire festival designed from artists’ perspective.

The fall show is scheduled for the Oct. 11-13 Columbus Day weekend.

Contacts:

Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, 25 Mill St., Rockport, ME 04856. Tel: 207-594-5611. www.woodschool.org

This article originally appeared in the August 2014 issue.

Paradise City Inc., 30 Industrial Dr. East, Northampton, MA 01060. Tel: 800-511-9725. www.paradisecityarts.com