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how do we take wood turning i to the future

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Bryan Milham:
Looking at many of the answers to this question, several of them seem point in one direction but none of them have yet mentioned the actual word;

Advertising

I’m not suggesting that we go out and start getting adverts put on TV, or our own TV channel (but there are many craft channels out there) but modern advertising (Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Flicker etc) has been mentioned several times and we now have several of them. Andy, my voice in thanks along with everyone else for these.

But can we expand on that. On one of the TV channels they are repeating the Monty Don programme where he goes through old crafts and the greenwood turning is one of them. I have seen this referred to in many other places (and forums), we need more of the same and covering more modern turning and work.

Also reading through there are many instances of clubs and the AWGB arranging training days.

Excuse the quick detour – I used to be a soldier, heavily into Adventurous Training. We were regularly asked to assist local and national charities in their fund raising events. They would always invite the local TV network along to film the event and interview people, not always but quite often there would be a bit on the evening local news as a fill in item.

Can we get the same, when a club is running a training day for the scouts or similar, or as the AWGB Exhibition moves around the country, can the organisers invite the local station in to film it or a local newspaper to report on it, to get our image out in-front of Joe Public.

That would be the start of expanding our image to the local population, and as each area is covered slowly the country will be encompassed. For each new member raised through this medium the number of people touched will grow (friends, families and work colleagues etc.)

It does not address the other side of the question, having Turning recognised as an art form, but as what we do becomes seen more often, as some of the beautiful pieces produced become more visible to the public, well hopefully, things will develop.

As I said previously – your turn, support me or argue against, but please, don’t read and pass on. All thoughts on this question  have much value and worth.

woody:
It has been mentioned a few that we need to move away from round and brown I cat totally agree with this R/B is in a lot of cases a turners bread & butter also a newbie needs a good solid place to start and some of the arty pieces although very very nice could frighten the life out of some that are new to turning and some that are not so new also as a hobby most will only turn for fun and only what they want to turn R/B is the basics the foundation of turning now I dare say some will disagree with me as indeed I disagree with them I call it personal taste both sides of the fence are  important and both needed so now I will shut up

John D Smith:
Hi I agree with you woody there should be a place for every one whether or not they are a beginner who is Woodturning as a hobby or someone turning run of the mill parts to make a living and the one turning gallery pieces.Regards John   

thebowlerhattedturner:
Now I do agree with Woody, there is a place for round and brown and I have been an advocate of it for years,but as time passes and your skills increase you will want to turn more complicated and different items. As someone who turns everyday for a living I can honestly say that I would earn a poor(er)living than I do now if all I made was B*R. when you think about it hobby turners(I hate the term amateur) should really be producing stuff to a higher standard than professionals as they are not constrained by time. I know we have had this conversation very recently on this forum so please excuse me for repeating it but for turning to survive it needs to evolve and boundaries need to be explored. We all started with B*R and if you looked at some of your earlier pieces(I have 2 and they make me cringe) you can see that your style and design has evolved possibly without you realising it.I have been turning now for a few years,not as long as some I know,but when I started it was normal to screw the wood to a faceplate and cover the screw holes on completion with felt,I think we have come a long way since then. Look at some of the designs in the old WT books and see how dated they appear.
       I never used to use colour on any of my stuff but do so now quite often(I even stain Oak burrs which I thought was sacrilege at one time)So without being conscious of it we are changing turning all the time and it is the acceptance of it that will keep it fresh and desirable not only as a hobby/craft/living but also as collectors/customers/admirers.
Have I rambled here a bit? I do apologise.
Regards
John BHT

Turners cabin:
round and brown has its place so dose the more adventurous work
i turn wood for the plesure of it in fact for my own countless bowls and othere items have been smashed, burned or other because i was not enjoying the proses or did not like them

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