2020 Chair Weaving Census

2020 Chair Weaving Census

Big News! A Research Project on Chair Caning and Seat Weaving in the US People constantly tell me chair caning is a “lost” or “dying” art, but the truth is, it is everywhere right now…and has been around for at least 4,000 years. I think chair caning and seat weaving is kind of the Rodney […]

2020 Chair Caning Legacy Class for Educators at Arrowmont

2020 Chair Caning Legacy Class for Educators at Arrowmont

LEGACY at ARROWMONT: Appalachian Arts for Appalachian Teachers FREE CLASS! July 12–18, 2020 ~ Deadline to apply: April 1, 2020 Last summer we taught hand woven chair caning at Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts. The school has a fascinating history: it was there before the Smoky Mountain National Park was dedicated and before the […]

Chair Nerd Profile: Randy Ogle

Chair Nerd Profile: Randy Ogle

Oh the joys of stumbling upon a Chair Shop on your first day in a new city! Dave and I were ready to get out of town last summer so we arrived at Arrowmont as soon as we possibly could to explore a little bit before the class. We unpacked in our cozy rooms and […]

Chair Nerd Debut at Arrowmont, 2019. Part 1: The experience

Chair Nerd Debut at Arrowmont, 2019. Part 1: The experience

So I have a habit of over-joining, over-committing, over-helping. I used to say “time well spent it money not spent.” This was said when I thought about how many committees I was part of, how much time they suck away from getting my own business stuff done. I could (and still can) get properly consumed […]

Processing Authentic Bark at Brian Boggs Chairmakers

Processing Authentic Bark at Brian Boggs Chairmakers

Why is authentic bark so much more expensive than manufactured reed? The Short Answer: Authentic bark is time consuming, back breaking, and potentially hand mangling work. Reed comes from China, and as we all know, that means you don’t pay the real value of the product, the fossil fuel it takes to get here, etc….but […]