News
2005 News: During the winter I (Philip Marshall) had woodworking tutorials with master joiner Kent Pyne in the studio. We covered sharpening and conditioning of hand planes; trueing heavy machinery; dressing and squaring lumber; marking layouts; and dovetailing.
Rachel Potter energetically helped design and then installed the Polhavn Woodfabrik website we photographed and wrote.
Spring allowed some of the work to move outside as rustic furniture pieces were crafted for
the Tanana Valley Farmer's Market here in Fairbanks. With purchase of a
tent, I had a booth most Saturdays at the market. I demonstrated some folkcrafts
(Norwegian seljefloyte making, Alpine flower carving and Swiss chip-carving).
Pieces for sale were Summit Stump Stools and tables; Deltas log benches,
stools and endtables; Burlesques stools; and Scandinavian bird fan carvings.
This activity generated commissions for furniture, signs and carvings.
Master woodworker John Manthei generously helped in the fall with some rustic furniture construction challenges including wedged through-tenon joints.
John Murphy also graciously advised on shop design and tools.
Major new pieces were a myrtle slab coffee table, rustic armchair (made for a Univ. of Alaska/Fairbanks sculpture class) and an askur or Icelandic hinged-lid porridge bowl but made from an Alaskan burl bowl, not coopered. Out in the field Tor (my K-9) and I collected wonderful naturally-curved trunks and branches, often fire-killed, but a great many from slash piles.
At Thanksgiving the studio was open for the Studio Artists' Tour.
The year concluded with the Tanana Valley Farmers' Market Bazaar and a display at the Annex Art Galley out in Ester, Alaska, where several chairs and sculpture found new owners.
Throughout all these, Jan Lokken, my partner and better half, has been a rigorous critic, vital creative inspirer and my staunchest supporter.
2006 News: Winter and spring 2006 I designed using photos, sketches and clay maquettes several signs, some of which incorporated deep three-dimensional carved elements. The sign and furniture commissions have precluded me from attending the Farmers' Market this year. But there has been opportunity to finally turn to some of my giant spruce burls and rough-out a child's chair (courtesy of John Holmgren, master machinist).
Wood harvesting has been a joy with a Tanana River boat ride courtesy of John Manthei to collect some rustic river beauties (wood, that is); other hikes; and salvaging special larch logs from longtime supporters Walt and Joanne Bruner out on Chena Hot Springs Road.
Earlier logs of theirs were milled to make gorgeous seat and back slabs that have gone into a special rustic armchair shipped to the "Trash from the Swamp" art show in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, headed by John Zasada, old Fairbanksan forester now returned to his childhood home. This speciality crafted from a double-trunk entwined black spruce stump is decorated with porcupine carvings in honor of the beastie's gnawing on the head rail!
The studio has benefited from construction of a tablesaw outfeed table and a miter saw bench. Major outside work enlarged and leveled storage and working areas, and the old shed has been relocated and enlarged to provide more dry storage. Sally-Anne Sherman helped under all kinds of conditions in these endeavors.
Our computer connection is back up with a new address: pmarshall@acetekk.com.
The pickup truck is colorful with the new business signs!
In
November Jan and I drove to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, where we stayed
with longtime friends, Jurg Hofer and Linda Gerrand. Jurg is a master woodturner
and I was fortunate to study under him for several days to learn how to
turn bowls, lamps and boxes.
The season ended with the Tanana Valley Farmers’ Market Bazaar where Swiss-style chip-carved plaques, soap dishes and some rustic furniture pieces were sold.
2007 News: The first sales from the website sent Swiss-German chairs in birch to Iowa.
In early June we received a wonderful visit from John Zasada
and Dr. Charlie Mayo from Minnesota. They shared their many outstanding
birch bark folkcrafts with us during the Boreal Forest Conference held at
the University of Alaska/Fairbanks. In turn I conducted a fieldtrip with
John Manthei to show attendees what forest trunks , roots and limbs we look
for when crafting rustic furniture and other pieces. The outing was introduced
with a picture program presented to the conference dinner about this type
of work I do. Jan Dawe also helped organize an alpine flower carving workshop
I taught one glorious evening at the Georgeson Botanical Garden.
In
August I journeyed over to southern Poland to search out fanbird carvers
that Sally and David Nye of Fan Carvers’ World had discovered. With
tremendous assistance from various Polish friends both here and abroad,
I managed to meet and carve with several raftmen from Sromowce Nizne. It
was so gratifying to finally see someone else carve a fanbird after years
of trying on my own. It turns out to be a folkcraft practiced for over a
century by an entire village of Dunajec River boatmen! Thanks to Feliks,
Josef and Wladyslaw.