ScrollSaw Association of the World

EXPO 2008

Saturday, July 12 , 2008 9 AM to 4 PM

Sunday, July 13, 2008 9 AM to 3 PM

David Adler

As a young boy, about 9 years old, David had a neighbor who was a wood worker and crafter and made all kinds of items. I used to visit him, especially in the summer when I would see him in his garden, and we would go into his wood shop sometimes. On one of these visits he saw my interest in wood and said, “that working with wood is a bond between man and nature”. These words have stuck with me all these years and are more meaningful to me now then when I was 9 years old. I am basically a third generation wood worker/lover. My mother, her brother and my mothers' father were all into wood working of one form or another.

I started doing wood-art in September of 2000 (I was a late bloomer). Until then all I did with wood was finish rooms in the houses I've lived in and the odd piece of furniture every now & then. However, since I started this “hobby” it has overtaken my left brained Engineering life. If I don't get to work on one of my wall hangings, or just cut wood for a few days, I get a bad case of wood withdrawal and my body and mind start to crave for a fix! Yes, I am a sawdust Junky.

Parquetry: (Mosaic – Geometric – Patterns made strictly of wood)

It is a lost art form. Parquetry is the use of wood 1/8 thick or thicker placed together to form geometric patterns. The most common place you will find Parquetry today is in wood flooring. Today most popular form of wood inlay is another art form called Marquetry. The basic differences between the two is that Marquetry uses veneer woods with a thickness of 1/16 of an inch or less, and is primarily cut with a sharp knife, or scroll saw by hand. It consists of scenery, floral patterns and other ornate embellishing and used on furniture.

The inlaying of geometric patterns goes way back to ancient cultures. We find examples in inlaid stone patterns back to Inca, Mayan, Chinese, Egyptians, Greek and Roman cultures. These are almost entirely done in stone. We can also find Geometric patterns in textile weaving from ancient times and from our Native Americans. The earliest forms of actual parquetry, done in wood, are from European wood working practiced in the middle ages. During the Industrial age Parquetry was transformed from the hand cutting and inlay fitted, to the use of machines and modern tooling.

Return to top of page

Wes Demarest

Wes is an accomplished journalist reporting for the Creative Woodworks and Crafts magazine. Many of us have enjoyed his interviews with noted scrolling artists. His articles on various wood species attest to his knowledge on the subject.

Wes is an excellent photographer of wood and woodcrafts, as he does most of the photography for the magazine. This is also a person with whom you can discuss the quality of a finished project. He is a seasoned judge, having judged many SAW Contests across the country. Yes, Wes has been known as a scroller, woodworker, and a sawmill operator for harvesting his own lumber. (Oh, how lucky!) I am sure Wes will share with you the 'rush' that comes when you take that first cut into the log and get a glimpse of the beautiful grain and figure that nature wrought. Cutting a log to get the best finished lumber is an art form in itself. Wes will be sharing with you the methods used to accomplish this. Now you will know what to ask for and what to expect in return when purchasing your lumber supply.

Return to top of page

Cheryl Dow

Cheryl is a pyrographic artist, woodburner, artist, writer, teacher and author, with over 18 years experience and 58 blue ribbons to her credit. Three time winner of the Detail Master, Best of Show Award of Excellence. Feature woodburning writer for NWCA Chip Chats Magazine. Teaching students of all levels, hands-on woodburning techniques, for well over 17 years.

Author of five instructional pattern books and one, four hour long instructional DVD, with a vast array of woodburning techniques

On a personal level, Cheryl and her husband of almost 40 years, live in West Bloomfield, Michigan from April until November and in Plant City, Florida from November until April. They have two married daughters and six grandchildren. Cheryl is a wildlife rehabilitator and consultant for 35 years, writing a handbook for the care and feeding of injured and infant animals. She was also a commercial photographic artist and retoucher for 35 years. Cheryl hosted and produced the 2007 Woodburning Celebration Show. The first International Show and Competition ever. The show boasted over 200 entries, offering $2500 in cash awards and $800 in other awards.

Cheryl absolutely loves to teach and concentrates on helping woodcarvers of all types and woodburners to learn new and exciting techniques to take their endeavors to a higher level. Learn more about Cheryl at her website.

Return to top of page

Bob Duncan

Bob started off as a geology major in college; until he got involved with the university newspaper. Then, there was no stopping him. He worked at the Bradford (Pa.) Era newspaper for three years, right out of college. In those three years, Bob quickly moved beyond the mundane obituary writing to cover every beat at the newspaper. He was awarded first prize in the Associated Press Managing Editor's contest for his coverage of the Temple-Inland Mt. Jewett Particleboard Plant explosion.

From newspapers, where he was writing the "first draft of history," he moved on to magazine writing and editing. Starting out as an editorial assistant at Fox Chapel Publishing, he quickly became the technical editor of Woodcarving Illustrated and Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts magazine. In addition to editing manuscripts by a variety of contributors, Bob manages the magazine message board, searches for new contributors, and writes a few regular columns for the magazines.

Return to top of page

Diana Thompson

Diana is happy to make her home is Mobile, Alabama, where she lives with her husband, Bob. She began scroll sawing about six years ago. My husband got out his old scroll saw one day and I thought, “I can do that.” After he went to work the next day I gave it a try. My way of thinking is “it's easier to get forgiveness than permission.” I fell in love with scrolling that very day.

One day I found a little compound deer on Rick Hutcheson's web site. I cut it out perfectly to my surprise. That led to a search for more 3-d patterns, and there wasn't any, or not “pretty” patterns..... girls like pretty! That led to making my own patterns. It wasn't easy, and I used up lots of wood in the beginning. But as time went along I learned what would work and what wouldn't. The next thing I knew I had five books on the market.

As well a passion for scroll sawing, I have an absolute addiction to the game of golf. If I'm not in the shop working, I can always be found on the golf course. This past Nov. 8th I hit a “hole-in-one.” The only time in my life I've ever been speechless!

My husband, Bob Thompson, is a maritime captain working out of Fourchon, Louisiana for Hornbeck Offshore, captain of the HOS St.James.

I love learning new things, new processes, what ever gets put in my path to learn. I try to keep an open mind so I don't miss anything. There's something to learn from everybody and everything and I find that wonderful.

Return to top of page

Kathy Wise

Kathy has been sculpting dogs and animals professionally for more than 25 years. Much of her time is now spent in the wood shop and art studio working on new and exiting designs for intarsia artists to cut and enjoy. She is a regular contributor to "Scrollsaw Woodworking & Crafts" with over 18 articles to date. Kathy has just published a new Book with Fox Chapel: Intarsia Woodworking Projects. Kathy has won many 1st place awards for her beautiful intarsia pieces at the past two "Design in Wood" shows in San Diego. Discover the "Wise" way to intarsia with many helpful tips and expert guidance.

Return to top of page