Author: robert@insidepassage.ca

“… so you pick up your guitar, and play it for yourself. These days you only play it seems, for everybody else.”- Stephen Fearing

Before Jim passed, he left his hand tools and machines to our school, with the hopes of establishing a small shop for me to continue my work at home. With our recent acquisition of one of his cabinets, we have had to delay the building of the James Krenov Memorial Shop for at least a few more years. Until that time, with Yvonne’s office back at the school, I have moved my benchroom, including Jim’s hand tools to our home. My new benchroom, above, is small but well organized and has an abundance of natural light. His machines will remain at the school, where they will see limited use and serve as fine examples of efficiency. (more…)

With the website launched and a short camping trip in the Westfalia. I have returned to my bench. We arrived home on Friday. Saturday morning I began cutting dovetails for a small cabinet on a stand that I began seven years ago, last month. The cabinet, a commission for some very patient clients started out with the name ‘Writer’s Friend”, a low cabinet on a stand with the purpose of storing stationary.

After the Artisan Program I spent just over two weeks getting the website launched, it was exhausting and while I realize there is still much information to post I will put that aside for the time being for amateur development. During this time, I did take breaks from the computer, and milled the drawer bottoms and chopping blocks. The wood is local cypress, harvested in Vancouver by Artisan Alumni Dan McCallum. The gentle curve follows the fronts as if the tree grew around my form. The pink to orange colours compliment the balsamo and doussie. (more…)

Since our small school’s inception our goal has been to provide quality craft education, founded on and dedicated to the teachings of James Krenov. Before Jim passed, he left with us with his final thoughts on the craft and on craft education. We have made curriculum changes to all our programs in an effort to pay homepage to my teacher and friend, and to create better flow and alignment of our programs.

We have added one week to each of our programs. The Artisan Program now consists of the first seven weeks of the Craftsman Program. The Resident Artisan Program consists of the second seven weeks of the Craftsman Program. The Craftsman Program has been revised and includes seven exercises, each building on skills previously taught. The Resident Craftsman Program has also been completely revised with more structure and includes a chair making exercise. The Journeyman Program available to Craftsman Program alumnus consists of the first seven weeks of the Resident Craftsman Program. (more…)

Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinetmaking is delighted to announce our acquisition of one of Jim Krenov’s cabinets. The cabinet in Claro walnut burl and european cherry was made the year I was in school. The cabinet is of significant importance to me, as Jim had asked me to assist him with the glue up of the carcass. A special thank you to David Welter at the College of the Redwoods Fine Woodworking Program helping make it happen.

The Resident Craftsman Program has been completely revised with more structure and includes a chair making exercise, a reproduction of a James Krenov piece and a piece of their own design. Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinetmaking is proud to announce our Resident Craftsman for the 2011-12 School Year. Joshua Edwards, Melissa Moore Evans, Jay Miron, Raul Favela and Brendan Johnson will be all joining us for a second year of study. While each of these gentle souls bring their own strengths, as a group represent all I could possibly hope for as a teacher.

We receive inquiries on a regular basis regarding suitability of programming for those with little or no experience in the craft. At Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinetmaking students with little or no experience can begin their journey in either the seven-week Artisan Program or our nine-month Craftsman Program. The marquetry shown here by Barbara Shelton was made in her second year at the school. Prior to attending our school, Barbara had no experience in the craft. Today, she has established herself as one of the finest craftsman to come out of our school.