I have been stuck in a little too deep on peasant furniture and have forgotten to announce this: I am presenting at Colonial Williamsburg’s 26th annual “Working Wood in the 18th Century” conference Jan. 25-28.
This year’s theme is “By the Book,” and it will focus on the relationship between the printed word and woodworking. I was asked to give a presentation on the history of woodworking books (one of my favorite topics), and I’ll also do a demonstration on using M. Hulot’s workbench for chairmaking operations.
Hulot’s bench is so ubiquitous among chairmakers that even Chester Cornett in Eastern Kentucky worked on one. And it is still used today.
Also Lost Art Press-related, Whitney B. Miller, author of “Henry Boyd’s Freedom Bed” will present a talk on Henry Boyd and the development of his life story into a children’s book.
Of course, the conference schedule is packed with demonstrations by top-notch woodworkers and carpenters, and I am excited to be able to sit in on many of the presentations. Check out the list here. I’m particularly excited to see Harold Caldwell, Mary Herbert and Shelby Christensen’s presentation on Joseph Moxon’s techniques in his section on carpentry.
In-person registration for the event closes tomorrow at midnight. So make a decision in the clutch and make the trip if you can. Register here.
If you register or already registered, please leave a comment below. If there are enough Lost Art Press readers going, perhaps we can organize a happy hour or a meet-up during the conference.
I hope to see you there. This is my first visit to Colonial Williamsburg (really!), so be gentle.
— Christopher Schwarz
I’ll be there. And, wow! Your first visit to CW!? You’re in for a treat.
I’ll be there. It will be my 17th.
It might be good for some to know that you can also attend virtually! I have been signed up for that since they announced the conference back in the fall, and also attended the previous couple of times the same way. Not as good, I’m sure, as being there in person, but still more than well worth it, in my opinion!
I just signed up for the virtual option, if you hadn’t blogged this I’d have never known about it, thank you.
I’ll be there, my favorite event of the year!
The in person registration is currently not working. Virtual registration requires you to be a member of one of several Colonial Williamsburg donor societies with a yearly minimum of $1000.
This late in the day, relatively speaking, it may of course differ, but when I signed up for virtual attendance back in November there was no such requirement – just a straight virtual attendance fee of something like $150 or $175 (I forget the exact amount).
That said, the sign-up pages are indeed a tad on the complicated side …
Virtual registration does NOT require membership in a donor society. Scroll down through the list of donor societies and select “Not applicable” to proceed with virtual registration.
In person registration is working.
I’ll be there. It is always a good time.
I am looking forward to your presentations.
My advice. “Old Stitch” Brown Ale.
Oh and I like to eat something (snack or late lunch) on Thursday afternoon so I am not famished and drinking adult beverages on a very empty stomach at the post keynote reception (initially, there can be a feeding frenzy for the finger food – which can be very good).
I will be there! Looking forward to all of the lectures and demos.
I’ll be there and I’m surprised the virtual registration requires you to be a member of one of the donor societies. They ask if you are but I don’t think it’s a requirement. It wasn’t the year I attended virtually.
While virtual attendance is better than none there’s nothing like seeing it live, much like a concert or play.
Virtual registration does not require membership in a donor society. Scroll down through the list of donor societies and select “Not applicable”. Then proceed with registration.
In person registration was working as of 3:30 pm December 31.
If the registration process won’t let you proceed check to make sure all required entries are filled.
I spent a week at CW last June. I spent two days going to the cabinetmakers shop. It was amazing to be able to “talk shop” and get some detailed information about how some joinery was made. I could have spent a month there. So much history.
For my part I was there (from overseas, to boot) last August, and had planned to do pretty much that: set up camp in the cabinetmaker’s shop. Alas, it was on a Tuesday, which is when most of the trades have the day off, something I hadn’t bothered to check for.
More fool me. Not that the place as such wasn’t worth the visit – very much au contraire – but still. Oh well. Live and learn. Hopefully I’ll get another shot at being a rumpdrag in the Hay shop at CW one day …
I am signed up for Working Wood in the 18th Century once again. “By the Book” could not suit me better: woodworking, books and history! Colonial Williamsburg has great seminars in every way. Look forward to your presentation.
Chris, I will be there and would love to meet up with you and all the LAP readers. So looking forward to this.
I’m registered
Dang, I’d love to be there! I’ve been to Colonial Williamsburg three time since 1994 but not since 1998. Unfortunately since moving to Albuquerque all my time is spent remodeling this old house and drawing up plans for the woodshop in the back yard. I sincerely hope that whoever goes has a marvelous time.
Cant wait to see the presentations & take in the information the presenters will provide. Unfortunately I will be a virtual attendee but will look forward to reading your comments as the week progresses.
Best
Bob Bell
I’ll be there, my first time. Getting together sounds like an excellent idea!
Best,
Gerry (like Gary) Cox
Try to register but the message comes up – “registration not available at this time”
I’m so excited to hear about your plans to address the Colonial Williamsburg audience, CS. “Break a leg!” my friend!
I would love to be there, but work and travel has eaten up my time for this month. I did read the extremely impressive written bio on Whitney Miller and being from the Houston area myself, I am happy to see that she is doing stuff with Lost Art Press. I wish you all the best and hope the conference turns out well.
I spent a whole day hanging out six weeks ago. Could have happily spent a week. Very impressed with the craftsmen and craftswomen in the cabinet, joiner, wheelwright, and other shops. The coolest tool I saw was a 6-inch-wide crown molding plane with attachment points on the front for an apprentice to tow it with ropes while the joiner essentially rode it along a 25-foot long board
Will be there virtually. Just finished Jenny Uglow Nature’ Engraver about Thomas Bewick who created wood engraving on boxwood and then added them to metal type to create some of the first illustrated books in England in the 1790s. Am impressed with his woodcuts of forest animals and Birds across England. It gave the public their first image of many animals.
Looking forward to your impressions of books and woodworking tomreed178@gmail.com
See you there.
This will be my first Williamsburg Wood Working conference. I’m looking forward to it. My wife and I have been to Williamsburg more times than we can count. We learn something new every visit. There are many interesting restaurants close to the conference location. Also, Williamsburg also has some interesting brew pubs to offer, one is within easy walking distance of the conference location.
We will virtually attend again this year, our third in a row. Sorry we will not be there for a happy hour get together. I would love to hear your repertoire of fart jokes.
I enjoyed the stylish presentation of your content here. While reading, I sensed a level of anxiety in your tone, but I’ll unquestionably return for more. Your writing has a tasteful and stylish appeal, and I anticipate similar quality in your future work.
I’ll be there. Looking forward to it!
Kudos on the great piece. Appreciate the insights!