In the United Kingdom, several gatherings of greenwoodworkers are held annually, some of which even focus on the pole lathe. The Northern Bowl is one of them. It’s hosted by Matt Whittaker in Durham. Matt himself is a highly respected craftsman, and he turns the most extraordinary objects, both in size and complexity.
And as it goes in England, you eat your muesli in the morning mist, and a little later you’re enjoying the sunshine.
In the run-up to and during the festival, we were able to experience what it was like to be involved in the organisation. The 80 attendees were provided with shelters, food, restrooms, lathes, and of course, workshops. Several of the people we’d visited earlier in our journey were also present, so it was also a chance for us to reunite with familiar crafters.
These kinds of gatherings are often largely community-driven, with everyone contributing. We received a lot of input on the professional side of life as a craftsperson, and Pieterjan also taught someone how to turn their first bowl (with some help from Martijn). He also turned a bowl and a plate from cherry himself, though the plate isn’t made from quarter-sawn wood, so it will yield a very interesting result.
We discussed at length the differences between craftspeople in England and Belgium/the Netherlands, both socially and financially. We exchanged tips for conducting workshops at location and discussed modifications to lathes.
This high concentration of craftspeople isn’t found on our side of the Channel, making these kinds of excursions essential for further professional development.
