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Your Favorite Presenters (and not!)

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I'm curious to hear people's opinions as to the best presenters (at your clubs, or symposia) -- who you would recommend to turners of various levels of expertise, and why. And......if there's someone you'd not recommend, you could message me* so as to keep your opinion out of the public eye.:D This is a serious inquiry, not idle curiosity.

(*if you're unfamiliar with messaging on the new forum, hover over your name above, and select "Conversations.")
 
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Well, most favorite is hard to pick, kind of like which cookie, or which pie, I like just about all of them. Dr. Spault aka Sari Robinson who is down at Oregon State, was one of the most interesting, in part because every thing I knew about spaulting was wrong. I just got to see Eric Lofstrom, and he was good, he has an engineering mind 'if it ain't broke, take it apart and fix it anyway' plus he is an elementary school teacher. If you ever get a chance to see Mike and Stuart do their 2 ways to turn a bowl, that is entertaining, though their styles are not so much different, at least to me. I differ a lot on how I approach things though. Jimmy Clewes is good. One of my favorite You Tube turners is Mike Waldt from Whales. Nice simple approach, and easy to understand. Many that I haven't seen like Ellsworth, and Raffen. Oh, Ashley Harwood, master of 'the bevel should rub the wood but the wood shouldn't know it' as she turns her delicate sea urchin finials, maybe 6 inches long, and no finger support on the back side of the finial.... I would love to see John Lucas some time, and Glenn Lucas as well. I am sure there are others.

I will be in Seattle, Husky country, next month. They are visiting my Ducks this weekend. I think it is gonna be ugly for the Ducks...

robo hippy
 
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I will be in Seattle, Husky country, next month. They are visiting my Ducks this weekend. I think it is gonna be ugly for the Ducks...
I told Nick about the "I think it is gonna be ugly" comment. He said "Hope so!" Interesting articles in the Seattle Times today about the upcoming game. Is your Seattle trip the same one you wrote about a couple weeks ago, or is it a follow-up?
 

Bill Boehme

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Which is why I suggested (directed?) that any "not so good" opinions be sent to me in a Conversation instead of here.:)

Sorry. I missed that part. I think that generally it has more to do with experience and having everything organized to flow smoothly including what to do if something doesn't go right. Not everybody is a good demonstrator the first time out so we need to weigh the experience factor and also was the subject matter beneficial. Woodturning covers a wide range of interests so what I might find useful might be dreadfully boring to somebody else.
 
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A lot of it comes down to the student and their level of knowledge and experience.
A novice might feel an instructor is not explaining details, whereas an experienced turner might become
bored with details that they learned decades ago. Most instructors that have years of teaching understand
how to present information and keep an audience interested in the presentation. A good presenter will try
to cover the materials of the lesson and then work with the audience to see which direction the instruction
should go in depending on the students attending the presentation.
 

john lucas

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Well I don't mind telling you who I enjoy. Nick Agar, Stewart Batty, Jimmy Clewes, Nick Cook, Greame Priddle, Binh Pho, Lyle Jamieson, are just a few who come to mind and do outstanding demos. I'll probably think of many others once my brain comes alive. If I get out an AAW magazine and look I'll probably find many. Try to do that in the morning. Some of the newer demonstrators will hit me when I do that. The ones I listed are at the top of my list.
 
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I attended an Ellsworth demonstration back in March of this year in Orange County, CA. I learned so much from him and I'm glad I took lots of notes.
 
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Oops, I forgot Lyle.... I have seen him so many times.... Wish I could do a play date with all these turners in one big setting....

robo hippy
 
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Oops, I forgot Lyle.... I have seen him so many times.... Wish I could do a play date with all these turners in one big setting....

robo hippy
Well, let's see:
  • Charter jet to fly around and pick them all up
  • Jet fuel and pilot to, say, Spokane?
  • Room and board for a couple days
  • Fees :eek:
  • Flight back
All offset by how many turners and their wallets? From whom can we borrow lathes? Ooooo, sounds like fun!
 
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Thanks, Steve. My birthplace, Orange County. I still get down there every 2 or 3 years, will try to time next trip for a meeting.
Jaime, I'm actually a member of the Glendale Woodturners Guild, but I'm sure the Orange County chapter would love to have you visit one of their meetings.
 
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I like the way Jimmy Clews turns away efforts to engage him politically: He says "That's all very interesting" and gets right back to what he was doing.
 
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[Oops, sorry, this is in response to Raul's post about Clewes. It's late and I'm sleepy]
Good idea! Tom Wirsing's response whenever someone would ask a question that might provoke adamant opinons of various kinds would say something like "Well, now that's a politics and religion question. My preference is...." He always left room for other's preferences, and during the workshop, he showed us how he does things but told us to do it however we are comfortable. A fine teacher!
 

john lucas

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Did I mention Mark StLeger above. He gives one of the most intertaining demos out there and his projects are all something anyone can do. Great guy.
 

Mark Hepburn

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I like the way Jimmy Clews turns away efforts to engage him politically: He says "That's all very interesting" and gets right back to what he was doing.

And he himself is very engaging and funny.

And really, I wonder why one would bring up issues like those in such a setting in the first place? I mean, just putting yourself in his or her shoes, you know you would be putting the presenter in a bit of an awkward spot doing that.

Plus, it cuts into the good stuff. Pardon the pun :)
 
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I mean, just putting yourself in his or her shoes, you know you would be putting the presenter in a bit of an awkward spot doing that.
Some people (we call them Trolls in online forums) derive a great deal of satisfaction in doing just that. It's what they live for, apparently. So glad they don't inhabit this forum.
 

Mark Hepburn

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Some people (we call them Trolls in online forums) derive a great deal of satisfaction in doing just that. It's what they live for, apparently. So glad they don't inhabit this forum.

Indeed. I really enjoy the civility here.
 

Mark Hepburn

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With fava beans and a nice chianti. :D
 
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David Ellsworth turned a couple of bowls as a demo at the Dallas Woodturners club meeting last night. I can only imagine what it would be like to be in one of his classes, but he does seem to 1) know a lot about turning, and 2) understand about how to teach. This was just a demo, but he made several key observations about his approach that in my mind went a long way toward articulating how his approach was relatively unique. For example, he does a finishing cut that goes "uphill" on the outside of the bowl. It wouldn't work with a standard ground gouge, but he talked about how and why it works with his grind. He also seemed to talk in a way that would be helpful for new turners, as well as being interesting for those more experienced. I must say it left me wanting more from him. You can tell that he has a lifetime of nuance in his head and we were only getting a tiny glimpse.

I also saw a demo from Michael Hosaluk last January. His was different, but he also seems skilled at both turning and teaching. His demo was more varied, with spindle turning and bowl turning combined. He talked about tools, basic technique, sharpening, and some other practical stuff like marketing your work. I've slept a few times since then, so the details aren't as fresh in my mind, but overall, I was impressed with his demonstration and would recommend him to others.
 
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hockenbery

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Two classes had a profound impact on my turning style.
In 1994 I had a 5 day class with Liam O'Neil -learned to use the sideground gouge.
In 1995 I had a 5 day class with David Ellsworth - learned the Ellsworth grind and hollowing.

Both are class individuals and excellent teachers. I have been fortunate to have worked on AAW projects with David and he has stayed with us on occasion and taught workshops in our shop.
David is known widely for his hollow forms but he gives about the best natural edge demo I have ever seen.
When I took Liam's class he told me I held the tool to tightly so he made turn the outside of bowls one handed.
When I took David's class he told me I was holding the gouge too tightly for efficient hollowing so he made me turn the inside of bowls one handed. Now, I like to think I have a light touch with the tools unless I see David Fry turn.
 

hockenbery

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@Barry Crowder I should mention David teaches weekend workshops in his own studio in Pennsylvania about 20 weekends a year. David usually teaches at Anderson Ranch and Arrowmt every year and at other well known craft schools less often.

David is a founding member of AAW, a life member, and was AAWs first president.
 

Mark Hepburn

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I took a class at David's in Quakertown PA when I first started turning, and it was, as Al said profoundly helpful.

It was a three day class with three other people, and David seem to have all the time in the world to spend with each of us. He really zeroed in on each of our problem areas.

as a new turner I was having tons of problems; how to present the tool, being too aggressive, not aggressive enough, holding the handle in a death grip and so on.

At one point, he walked over and asked if he could help and I said sure. So he grabbed the handle and left my hand on the handle, had me remove my left hand and show me how to work the inside of the bowl one-handed without using my left hand at all!

This is not a practice that he encouraged me to continue and it's not something that I do, but it showed me like I was saying just how lightly you can hold a tool and how precisely you can control it when you just let the tool do the work.

He also spent time showing us grinding techniques, his vacuum set up, I'll kinds of things that we might want to think about going forward, and also his studio upstairs, and in general we had a great time.

As a teacher, and a host and a human being I think he's just in a class by himself.

I've taken some other classes since, and he and Steven Kennard stand out as the very best to me.

My .02


PS. Al hasn't mentioned himself here because obviously he's a pretty humble person, but I've worked as a volunteer in two symposiums in his classes for kids, and I would have to include him in the above list.
 
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Thanking you all again for your input in this thread. Tonight at the meeting, I was officially approved as 2017 VP Education and Training. Yikes. Main qualification I have, according to my supporters, is enthusiasm. I think it's actually the fact that I'm a perpetual student.:D Anyways, keep the left-hand corner of the map in mind for any good demonstrators. We don't have an infinite budget though (surprise, surprise).
 

Mark Hepburn

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Thanking you all again for your input in this thread. Tonight at the meeting, I was officially approved as 2017 VP Education and Training. Yikes. Main qualification I have, according to my supporters, is enthusiasm. I think it's actually the fact that I'm a perpetual student.:D Anyways, keep the left-hand corner of the map in mind for any good demonstrators. We don't have an infinite budget though (surprise, surprise).

Jamie, based on your posts here I would add that you have an affinity for research and detail and I'm guessing you're one of those organized types too. Boy, do I envy organized people!
 
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Jamie, based on your posts here I would add that you have an affinity for research and detail and I'm guessing you're one of those organized types too. Boy, do I envy organized people!

The affinity for research, yes -- just finished tallying responses to a 2-page survey I wrote. Somewhat organized, and it has become more of a defensive stratagy as I age!:p
 
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:p

I was our club's lead video assistant until a bit over a year ago. I was carpooling with the nominations committee chair (who's also a friend), and he asked me if I were interested in continuing to be involved with the club. I said "sure, but I'd like to try something different, and help teach new video folks." I have now been serving as VP & program planning chair for one year, and I'm up for club president in 2018 and 2019.

Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!!! Tomorrow, the club, then, it's world domination!
 
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