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Sylva Foundation seeks expressions of interest from thatchers for the thatching of an Anglo-Saxon building to be reconstructed using traditional thatching methods and materials, and to deliver workshops and onsite training, in south Oxfordshire.
The charity has been awarded a Heritage Lottery Grant to reconstruct the Anglo-Saxon timber-framed building in a new project known as the House of Wessex. A summary of the project can be found at: www.sylva.org.uk/wessex
Expressions will be accepted only via the following EOI online form:
We’re sure that many of our readers have been bombarded with opt-in messages from online accounts and newsletters, all in readiness for the impending General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). As you originally opted in to receive the Sylva enews we are not asking you to do so again, but we have always included an ‘opt-out’ link at the bottom of this enews. However, it has come to our attention that recently this has stopped working, and some people who asked to be unsubscribed have continued to receive communications from us. We sincerely apologise for this.
Next week we are launching a new look to our enews, and this will include a working opt-out link! Please bear with us while we make this transition.
A two-day workshop for woodcarving newcomers and those with some experience who would like to develop their skills.
Vine carving in progress, Simon Clements
The ‘Fruit of the Vine’ has long been a favourite motif for carvers both in stone and in wood. Using stencils students will learn how to mark out and carve a simplified design of vine leaves and grapes in lime wood.
Students will learn:
How to transfer a drawn design to a block of wood
How to mount their work for carving
How to clamp and hold the work piece securely
How to use the appropriate chisel or gouge for each stage of the carving
How to use a carver’s mallet
Students will learn to overcut the surface and background, and how to undercut the finished design.
Cost: £225 per person (all materials and tools provided). Please bring your own packed lunch.
Simon Clements is came to woodcarving after a career which included teaching art, sculpture and pottery, working as a mast spar and oar maker for an Oxfordshire company and restoring heritage carving.
He now works from his workshop at the Sylva Wood Centre, carving sculptural pieces for architects, interior designers, private clients, and for exhibitions. Sculptural work ranges from table-top sculpture to kinetic garden pieces. He is currently half-way through 11 very large commemorative carved poles for the Woodland Trust as part of the Tree Charter.
Come along to learn and improve your whittling skills with this two-day course introducing students to using curved (hook) knives and straight carving knives, and go home with your own hand-crafted wooden spoon.
spoon whittling with Simon Clements
Wooden spoon blanks will be provided; there will also be an opportunity for students to make a straight or curved knife to add to their toolkit, and to discuss the relative merits of penknife shapes for whittling.
Carving will be done in the lap and in the hand, and will concentrate on developing woodland carving skills without the need for green woodworking tools such as axes and froes.
Bring along your favourite penknife or whittling tool for advice on sharpening and usefulness.
This will be a two-day course on a Friday and Saturday. Please bring a pack lunch for both days, coffee, tea and snacks will be provided
Students will learn:
To attach handles to carving knives
Sharpen their tools
Design a wooden spoon from a plain wooden blank
Carve and shape a wooden spoon and spoon bowl using carving knives of various shapes
Hold work in the lap in a safe manner for carving
How to use a variety of cutting actions in a safe manner
Will be given advice about simple protective measures to prevent minor cuts and injuries.
If the weather is good perhaps we may carve outside in the Forest School shelter, or inside if the weather is less clement. Places available for a maximum of 10 students.
Cost: £225 per person (all materials and tools provided). Please bring your own packed lunch.
Simon Clements is came to woodcarving after a career which included teaching art, sculpture and pottery, working as a mast spar and oar maker for an Oxfordshire company and restoring heritage carving.
He now works from his workshop at the Sylva Wood Centre, carving sculptural pieces for architects, interior designers, private clients, and for exhibitions. Sculptural work ranges from table-top sculpture to kinetic garden pieces. He is currently half-way through 11 very large commemorative carved poles for the Woodland Trust as part of the Tree Charter.
Following the sell-out success of this course last time, we are pleased to offer a new one-day course: learn how to make a green wood stool. Working with green wood using simple hand tools, by the end of the day you will make a ‘basic’ three-legged stool under the expert tuition of green woodworker Peter Wood.
Green stool making course at Sylva Wood Centre
Course date: 27th October 2018, 9.30am – 4.00pm
Learn about different tree species and understand why different woods are suitable for different tasks, how growth effects its use, and look at wood suitable for cleaving.
Learn how to cleave wood.
Learn basic axe work to rough shape the stool legs.
Use a shaving horse, drawknives and spokeshaves to shape three stool legs.
Shape a simple stool seat using planes, inshaves, travishers and spokeshaves.
There will also be a pole lathe for participants to ‘have a go’ at turning as time allows.
A one-day workshop for woodcarving newcomers and those with some experience who would like to develop their skills.
Vine carving in progress, Simon Clements
The ‘Fruit of the Vine’ has long been a favourite motif for carvers both in stone and in wood. Using stencils students will learn how to mark out and carve a simplified design of vine leaves and grapes in lime wood.
Students will learn:
How to transfer a drawn design to a block of wood
How to mount their work for carving
How to clamp and hold the work piece securely
How to use the appropriate chisel or gouge for each stage of the carving
How to use a carver’s mallet
Students will learn to overcut the surface and background, and how to undercut the finished design.
Cost: £100 per person (all materials and tools provided). Please bring your own packed lunch.
Simon Clements is came to woodcarving after a career which included teaching art, sculpture and pottery, working as a mast spar and oar maker for an Oxfordshire company and restoring heritage carving.
He now works from his workshop at the Sylva Wood Centre, carving sculptural pieces for architects, interior designers, private clients, and for exhibitions. Sculptural work ranges from table-top sculpture to kinetic garden pieces. He is currently half-way through 11 very large commemorative carved poles for the Woodland Trust as part of the Tree Charter.
Steve Kendall has been fascinated by guitars since early childhood and he made his first electric bass guitar at the age of 14. He began learning how to make instruments properly with a lute maker in the ‘80’s. Since 1993 he has repaired, improved, or made guitars and basses for musicians from ‘bedroom-only standard’ to famous professionals. For the last 15 years, he has worked from his stone-built workshop in the Oxfordshire village of East Hanney.
We’ve been delighted with the response over the summer months to the 2017 British Woodlands Survey. So far more than 1,600 woodland owners, agents, foresters, forest school practitioners, and forestry and wood businesses have taken part in the national web-based survey.
Devolution, pests & pathogens, Brexit, emerging markets, climate change, societal attitudes . . . these are just some of the momentous factors influencing our trees and woodlands, those who care for them, and those who rely on their products and services. Have your say about what these and other issues mean to you by taking part in Britain’s only dedicated national survey about our woodlands and forestry. This year we have unprecedented interest from policy makers, national organisations, research commissioners and others. Make sure your voice counts!
It’s not too late to take part. The survey closes to responses on Sunday 1st October at 23:59.
Colin Henwood founded his boatyard, Henwood and Dean Boatbuilders, in 1982 specialising in restoring and building wooden Thames launches. The boatyard received many awards in the UK and abroad, and in 2014 Colin was awarded Maker of the Year by the Heritage Crafts Association. In October 2016 Colin handed the boatyard over to two of his team who are successfully continuing the tradition he began 35 years ago. Not one to retire, Colin has established a workshop at the Sylva Wood Centre where he is currently re-building a 1920 Thames motor canoe.
A one-day course to learn how to work with green wood using a pole lathe and make something to take home at the end of the day. Learn with expert green woodworker and experienced tutor Peter Wood.
For centuries the Bodgers used the methods you’ll learn on this course to produce a variety of items. You will work a freshly sawn log though each stage needed to make a useful household object, such as a garden dibber or baby’s rattle to take home. Each student will have the full use of a pole lathe, shaving horse and set of greenwood working tools.
On the course you will learn:
how to safely use the tools provided
how to carefully select logs for working
how to cleave (split) the logs for working
how to shape the wood using a shaving horse and drawknife
