Williamsburg Classes

Four well-known and veteran IGMA instructors will be teaching at the 2016 Colonial Williamsburg Study Program this coming January. If you’ve had the opportunity to take one of their classes-at Guild School or in other study programs-you know you are pretty much guaranteed an excellent learning experience. I won’t say that you will leave the class with a piece that looks exactly like the instructor’s, but you will be satisfied with the time spent, and the skills practiced.

So, what is on the agenda for the 2016 program? There will be two furniture classes, a structure and an accessory class, representing a variety of skill levels and differing amounts of work involved before your project will be complete.

A market basket will be the first project made in Bonni Backe's basketmaking class.

A market basket will be the first project made in Bonni Backe’s basketmaking class.

How much are you up for? Going alphabetically, Bonni Backe will be teaching a class on basketmaking. There were no tupperware containers or plastic shopping bags in the 18th and 19th century. If you needed to carry things around or store them in your house, you frequently made your own containers, and baskets, served that purpose quite often. Students will use black-ash splint to weave a 1/12 scale market basket on a rectangular form. When that is done, the class will move on to replicating a small basket from the Colonial Williamsburg collection that features a decorative pattern of painted splints.

A graceful tea table will be replicated in Iulia Chin Lee's class.

A graceful tea table will be replicated in Iulia Chin Lee’s class.

Iulia Chin Lee will be teaching a class replicating a mid-18th century tea table from Virginia with ogee molded edges around its rectangular table top and gracefully shaped cabriole legs. The enjoyment of tea was a common social interaction in many communities and this table would have been a source of pride for any colonial housewife.

The two-walls of the Governor's Palace Study that will be constructed in Peter Kendall's structure class.

The two-walls of the Governor’s Palace Study that will be constructed in Peter Kendall’s structure class.

Peter Kendall specializes in teaching the building of structures, always thoroughly researched and meticulously planned out. This class will feature, in 1/12 scale, the construction of two walls of a small study in the Governor’s Palace, a bookcase wall and the adjoining wall with a recessed window and window seat.

The two piece bottle case that students will be recreating in 1/12 scale in Bill Studebaker's class.

The two piece bottle case that students will be recreating in 1/12 scale in Bill Studebaker’s class.

Bill Studebaker has chosen a cellarette as the inspiration for his class, though in the 18th century, it was most likely called a bottle case. In those days, it was necessary to lock up smaller, and more valuable household items, anything from sugar to wine. This class will be making 2 pieces, the upper box with hinged lid, and a fitted stand with drawer.

Check out the IGMA website for more information on the classes and the program, including how to register.

 

 

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