Blog

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” – Vivian Greene

Be Kind Be Well be Happy

A year ago this past May, we closed a beautiful chapter in our lives, and opened another. We walked across the north of Spain, and along the way, we found our way home. Our intention at the time, was to take a year to refine our school in its new environment, and resume teaching again this fall. My body, and my mind have told us otherwise. Until then, I work with my hands. I walk in the woods. I meditate and write. I rest and heal.
Be well, and enjoy the many subtleties in your life, and in your work,
Robert

“I no longer want to be resilient. I don’t want to simply bounce back from things that hurt me or cause me pain. Bouncing back means returning to where I stood before. Instead, I want to go beyond the hurts and the darkness. The first step towards genuine healing from my mental illness was when I came to trust and believe that there was a beyond. Now I reach for beyond every day, in every encounter, in every circumstance. I seek to go where I have never travelled. I wake with the vision of a purposeful day, filled with adventures and teachings. Then I take the first step and try to make it beyond.”  – Richard Wagamese

Doug Ives scholarship

Matthew Thornhill – Canada

Vidars Chair

Darrell Aunger – Canada

Upward spiral

Gabriel Cohen Khallas – Israel

TEACHING ASSISTANT

Yvonne Van Norman

RESIDENT CRAFTSMEN & TEACHER

Robert Van Norman

RELIEF TEACHER

Gary Kent

I have always maintained that the school is a good place to make mistakes, and that mistakes, often lead to opportunities. I also know, that mistakes that have been made due to a lack of attention always seem to hurt the most.

A little over a year ago we made the move to Keats Island, just a short passenger ferry crossing and cycle, from our former school and our family in Roberts Creek. We have made the most of our time here, with the primary objective of trying to recreate the creative and supportive environment enjoyed by our students in our former location.

When I think back to our extensive transition business plan, we made several assumptions based on our experiences in setting up the school in Roberts Creek. We have discovered, that just as Jim suggested in the The Impractical Cabinetmaker, that different people, see things in different ways, a concept I have always embraced as a teacher; so too, it is with our ‘different’ location.

Since arriving on the island, we have tried to find suitable, sensibly priced accommodations for our students and in the end, we have come up short, actually we have come up empty:( We have discussed at great lengths, and even considered moving ahead with our long term goal of building onsite accommodations for our students, and feel that more preparation, and discussion is needed, before undertaking such a project.

Was the move to this beautiful place, a mistake? Perhaps? If it was, at least, it was not one made due to the lack of attention. This island has showed us her moods, and it has taken its toll on our health, with it’s hills and its weather. We have come to understand that we need to learn from our new home and evolve.

In the meantime, we continue to live simply, in a beautiful and inspiring place, work at a craft that we love, and feel grateful for the opportunity we were given, to share that craft with so many beautiful people over the years.

This past January, the world lost a beautiful man. He wrote the following passage that I have always believed as words to live (and work) by:
“The manner in which you get ready for work, go to work, and the way you are while you are there affects not only those you work with, but also the quality of your work. Everything we do has an effect on our work. I, myself am a poet but I love working in the garden growing vegetables. One day an American scholar said to me, “Don’t waste your time gardening and growing lettuce. You should write poems instead; anyone can grow lettuce.” That is not my way of thinking. I know very well that if I do not grow lettuce, I cannot write poems. The two are interrelated. Eating breakfast mindfully, washing the dishes, and growing lettuce in mindfulness are essential for me to be able to write poetry well. The way someone washes the dishes reveals the quality of his or her poetry. Similarly, the more awareness and mindfulness we bring to all our daily actions , including our work, the better our work will be.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

We are going to take a rest, go for a long walk, grow lettuce, and find our way home. Be well all of you, enjoy your life and your work.
With wishes of peace, love and gratitude,
Robert & Yvonne

COMPOSING

Matthew Thornhill – Canada

Impractical Studies

Ronja Wettmann – Switzerland
Ian Stittle – Canada

RESIDENT CRAFTSMAN & TEACHER

Robert Van Norman

TEACHING ASSISTANT

Yvonne Van Norman

RELIEF TEACHER

Gary Kent

“The way you use your tools may not be according to the books; rather it is the way your hands and body feel when the work goes well that is the final interpretation of any knowledge. You are training still another part of you, perhaps the most important part of all – the centre of you which pulls it all together and gives it your meaning.” – James Krenov

This past Sunday evening as James, Yvonne and I finished wrapping his chair, in doing so wrapped up our seventeenth year of operations and our first term in the new school.

I was filled with deep gratitude as James completed his fine chair in white oak and seagrass. I’m not sure when I last saw such remarkable progress in a student in just one term as I saw with James this past term. It was a joy to watch his progression through wood selection, the increasingly complex joinery and shaping as he moved through the chair. Not only did he build a fine chair, but the skills he developed were equally impressive. A fine, dedicated craftsman, and kind and gentle soul.

The above image was taken while Matt and Yvonne were preparing for the first of two final glue ups of his wonderful floor cabinet. In his final term of composing Matt will hang the doors, complete the drawer insert, and carve the clock which will hang for the top rail, shown mocked up above. The cabinet is now completely assembled including the top rail and it has been wrapped carefully awaiting his return next month. This cabinet will mark a segue for this fine craftsman as he intends to make this craft his life. We are grateful to have him back next term as his meticulous work will serve as a fine example for our two first terms students who will be joining us from Switzerland and Canada.

I have always maintained that Yvonne is the heart of our school. This past Saturday, when Matt and I were preparing the cauls for his final assembly which would take place on the Sunday morning. Matt asked if I thought Yvonne would come in and help him with the final assembly. A piece he has worked on for multiple terms. I do think this speaks volumes about the impact Yvonne has on our students and just how well she is respected. She of course came in, and James joined us, for what was a very smooth assembly with a lot going on.

My break will be spent, walking in the woods, hanging out with Yvonne and our grandchildren, and mornings with the cabinet for the hall in Roberts Creek. Since this photograph was taken, I have the latches and fittings in, back pieces are selected and milled. Onto final surfaces and edge treatment, and an assembly when Yvonne has a moment. Although it might take some convincing to get her in from the yard. Be well and enjoy your work, I know I am.

composing

Matthew Thornhill – Canada

vidars chair

James Nattall – Canada

resident Craftsman & Teacher

Robert Van Norman

teaching assistant

Yvonne Van Norman

relief Teacher

Gary Kent

“… when we see a fine piece of cabinetmaking, we should look closely, and think about what it means, and remember that it is not just pieces of wood put neatly together, but a measurable part of an honest craftsman’s life.“– James Krenov

At the end of each of the lecturers Jim presented when I was in school, and here at our school, there was always a resounding “thanks Jim” from his students. Looking back, I think that it was not only a gesture of respect but a deep appreciation for our teacher. 

At the end of last month, I completed my brown oak cabinet, and have titled it ‘Thanks Jim’. On the following Saturday morning I presented it to the class, and a very special guest. Our grandson Elijah, joined us for what would be the first presentation in our new working school. I feel that it was appropriate, that I should be the first to present a new piece. 

The case is made from a plank of brown oak, I picked up from Jim in 2006, and was a joy to work. Shortly after announcing that he was no longer able to continue with his work, and that his eyes had betrayed him. He asked me to come down and pick up the last of his cabinet wood. 

Among the planks and bits and pieces were leftover veneers from his final cabinets all carefully kept in sequence, his sequence. The were several where he had written and even sketched. On a piece of spalted European beech shop sawn veneer, he had sketched a playful pattern of dovetails, as he handed me the stack of veneer he said that it was when preparing to cut the  dovetails on the drawers of his final cabinet that he new it was time to step away from the bench. It was this piece of shop sawn veneer that would be the starting point for my cabinet to house my notebooks.

The case is dovetailed, and the doors coopered and tapered. The absence of pulls and very fine open grain, gives the piece a quite feel I think. The latches and fittings are carved of bocote, and are from a off cut from one of his last planes. The interior, including the back piece is waxed the exterior received two very thin coast of polish. All wooden hardware including the latch has been left untreated.   

This past term, has been the realization of a dream more than two decades in the making, and has given me a renewed sense of rhythm in my life and work.  Since I began teaching, more than two decades ago, the personal work I have managed to do was always segmented. The work often set aside for periods of time so that the school, and more so my students receive the attention they require and deserve. While I continue to enjoy three hours in my workshop before the students arrive each morning, I also enjoy working quietly at my bench along side my students in a warm, well lit workshop in a beautiful place. Be well and enjoy your work, I know I am.
Robert

I so enjoy my Sunday mornings. While the students are away preparing for the week, I stroll out to the workshop mid morning, to write. The above photograph was taken on Thursday, but very much captures the view from my workbench and the feel of where I sit today. 

I finished my brown oak cabinet a few weeks back, and the following Saturday, I presented it to the class and a very special guest. Our grandson Elijah was out for a visit. Yvonne and I so look forward to our grandchildren weekly visits. In my next notebook entry, I will share some photography and thoughts on the first piece completed at our new school. 

Since then, I have begun a cabinet for the hall in Roberts Creek. A few years back we were approached by the Community Association who were looking for someone to build a free library. There was little interest from the students so I agreed to make the cabinet myself. I feel very blessed to give back to a the community where our school began its journey, where our children and grandchildren continue to call home.

The cabinet will be made of some beautiful Alaskan yellow cedar milled by Billy Davis a friend and local sawyer. The three planks are in sequence and feature some wonderful colour near the center. This will be the starting point for the cabinet. The cabinet will be loosely based on a cabinet that Gary made as a student in the inaugural program at the College of the Redwoods now the Krenov School. 

This past week, I rough milled the stock for the cabinet, and have completed the door Frames which will feature glass above and panels with some of the gorgeous colour near the heartwood below. On one morning when Yvonne, Matt and James were in the benchroom, I ran the stopped rabbets for the glass and panels. I find the fragrance quite strong, even with our new and improved dust collection it tends to linger a bit. 

The front of the frame is stepped, which I began on the bandsaw, after completing the frame joints. Then, I finished the surfaces and edge treatment with one of my fine planes. What a joy it is to work this wood with shearing tools. I mocked up panels and made adjustments on Saturday morning before the students arrived. On Monday, I will make the cauls and assemble the frames.

Yvonne has begun fitting the dovetails on her case. The french walnuts is wonderfull to work with fine tools. She is using a modified knife and chisel that she made in the the Impractical Studies Program. She is so very patient and methodical in her work. It was so beautiful to watch her lost in the work this week. 

James has cut the low side rails in his chair and will be working toward the front to back assemblies early this week. It has been a joy to watch his progress this term. The chair is a complex piece, particularly when you think students begin it after just twenty weeks at the school. Gary once suggested that his fifty years in the craft, the set of four he made in narra were among the most complex work he has done. Vidar’s Chair Program focus is on three aspects of the craft, the first being grain graphics. This week I watched I watch as a light come on for James, as I have witnessed so many times before. While each of the joints on the chair are increasingly complex, each of the his joints are getting finer off the machine. He has been visiting his sharpening station more frequently, and having to spend less time. He is fitting the joints and shaping the the parts of his chair with joy and this is most evident in the work. The chair really is, a wonderful lesson in grain graphics, joinery and shaping. 

It was a beautiful moment to see Matt’s cabinet in the benchroom, dry fit for the first time this past week. The cabinet has been made with a great deal of care and attention and you really do feel it’s quiet presence. I feel so very blessed to watch our students development through the four programs. This piece was disrupted not once, but twice with the pandemic and it took a while to recapture the initial excitement, but he has found it again. This piece, like much of the work we do represents much more than a piece of furniture. In many ways, this piece pays homage to his family and Matt’s dedication and passion for the craft. The woods used in this piece all have such delicate, textures, grain and complementary tones and perhaps more importantly one piece in particular, has a profound meaning to the maker.
Be well, and enjoy your work,
Robert