Author: robert@insidepassage.ca

I completed the artisan program in 2012. I have always been someone who was interested in woodworking but had never spent enough time practicing to get really good at cabinetmaking. I was also alone in my craft and wasn’t aware of what was required to get the kind of results I achieved at the course at Inside Passage. I have a busy job in Australia as the director of a charity helping children and young people in Sydney and after many years in the position decided to take an extended break to follow that passion. I searched online and found Inside Passage; I emailed Yvonne the schools administrator to find out more about the program. I was worried about whether I would qualify for the course. She assured me that I would be fine and that there were people at different skills level attending and I would be able to complete the work. She was right and I felt very confortable in the classroom.

Yvonne also sent me an accommodation list of people in Roberts Creek who are happy to rent a room, I contacted a local and stayed in a beautiful house at a very reasonable cost that was two minutes from the College. I am still in contact with some local people; two visited me in Australia recently.

Robert Van Norman the Resident Craftsman and Teacher made me feel valued and respected as a student and was always willing to help me fix mistakes Id made, “not that I made that many mistakes”.

The course changed my understanding of the craft and I learned so much about how to sharpen tools, appreciate timber and its qualities, use hand tools and machinery and produce a beautiful piece of furniture. It was intensive and very instructive with Robert demonstrating every step of the way. As I said other students were at different skills levels and we often worked in teams, this helped me to build confidence in the work.

Apart from the new skills I learned I also made new friends in the course and am in contact with some of my fellow students to this day. Robert and Yvonne made me welcome and I am deeply indebted to their kindness support and friendship. Roberts Creek is a beautiful place in the forest and on the sea. The experience did change my life and I know that I will return to the School one day for further study.

Now that I’m back in Sydney I have begun to build a number of pieces of furniture including a side table and two chairs. I am also designing a series of pencil cases in Jarrah a native Australian timber.

Inside Passage, two words that make me feel so many things. I was fortunate in attending the two year program this school has to offer, the “school of life” I will always refer to it. This place is a place in which I learned to respect so many things, the process on working with wood, the hands that make it happen and the state of mind that is required to make work of this quality. I was intimidated when I first got there, I had little experience in working with wood, and the technique I brought to the school was nothing but a confused mind trying to make something happen. I never imagined that so many shapes and processes could be made in such a “simple – complex” way. Once started, I realized how fortunate I was in having Robert Van Norman as my teacher, a true honor for me sharing that space with him. Yvonne and Robert have put together a program in a way that I learned concepts and practical solutions that I couldn’t even think about. This program made me be conscious about my skill as a craftsman and as a human being. Roberts Creek is a place in which you will bring your game to the highest possible level, a place in which your mind will flow with the rhythm that nature offers, learning every day about yourself and about your work. Skill is hidden within our selves, and will remain in there if we are not able to recognize our strengths and weaknesses. Mr. James Krenov sends a strong message on each one of his books, messages that will teach each one of us differently. Robert is loyal to the way of teaching that Mr. Krenov will like to see happen in this school; more important to the simplicity of life once you discover yourself. Mr. Krenov wrote on one of his books, “I don’t love working – it is working well that I love.” Inside Passage taught me how to work more than well, it will be now time to make my dreams happen, I am prepared to do so.

When I first applied to the Inside Passage, my knowledge of James Krenov was quite limited. Yes, I had heard of him but had not yet read any of his books. I was unprepared as to how profound of an impact this program was going to have on me.

Already in the four months I have attended the program, I know my life has been affected and changed forever. The learning atmosphere is one that resonates with me. Not only are we divulged into this craft and the qualities of wood but it is also a wonderful journey into the self of every single one of us. This has honestly been one of the most challenging, rewarding, and personal growth journeys I have experienced.

I can’t say enough good things about my experience at Inside Passage during the 12 weeks I spent at the school over the Summer of 2010. I’ve attended a few different woodworking schools, and finding a School that instills such thoroughness, integrity and commitment to excellence is very rare. You can tell that Robert really cares not only about the craft of fine furniture making, but also about being a great teacher.

I signed up for the Artisan Program, where I learned the fundamentals of fine furniture making using hand tools and machines, and then immediately followed that course with the six week Resident Artisan Program, where I was able to put my skills to use building a small cabinet.

I was amazed at how high a level of craftsmanship Robert was able to teach to all of us during the program. He never takes short cuts or lets students with less experience fall behind. He was very patient and always willing to answer questions, even those that were asked repeatedly. I appreciated how he would put in extra time for individual attention when anything was challenging and also give extra small projects to people who were moving ahead quickly. When I was working on my cabinet during the second part of the program, Robert was great about giving me the flexibility to design my own piece, but was always available to help me work through problem spots.

The facilities and equipment at the school were excellent and I thought Robert and Yvonne fostered a nice, collegial atmosphere amongst all of the students. Spending the summer 300 yards from a beach with views of snow-capped mountains in the drop-dead gorgeous Pacific Northwest was a treat as well, although I found myself drawn to the woodshop most of the time.

Inside Passage is a really unique school and I consider myself lucky to have had the time to attend their program.

To summarize my experiences during the 6 week Artisan Program is daunting. The program was exceptionally comprehensive with an excellent balance of theory and hands-on with the emphasis on developing hand skills and an intimacy with wood. Robert has a gift of reading a student’s ability and nudging it forward in a positive and rewarding manner. I found the atmosphere to be very fresh and energizing and this I think is due to the influences of Robert, the craftsmen and support staff (Yvonne) of the school. The location of The Inside Passage is an experience of its own. The memories and skills I came home with are a gift of a lifetime. My 6 weeks passed by far too quickly!