CWA Forum 2006 at SOFA Chicago
November 9-12, 2006

The Collectors of Wood Art held its annual meeting in Chicago during the SOFA (Sculpture Objects and Functional Art Exposition) on November 9-12, 2007.  In addition to viewing (and buying) the art works shown by over 200 galleries, the members of CWA participated in the following events:

• CWA in conjunction with the Chicago Woodturners (AAW) sponsored artists’ demonstrations of wood turning and finishing for the general public attending SOFA.
   
• CWA sponsored an exhibition curated by Hal Nelson entitled The Presence of Absence: Celebrating the Void in Contemporary Wood Sculpture at SOFA.  The exhibition presented the works of over twenty artists exploring negative space or the “presence of absence” as an integral part of contemporary wood sculpture.  Members staffed the exhibition and talked to attendees at SOFA about studio wood art and collecting.
   

• As part of the SOFA Lecture Series, CWA sponsored two panels.  One panel was chaired by Hal Nelson with artists from The Presence of Absence exhibition talk about their work.  Also Hal Nelson, Kevin Wallace (curator) and William Hunter (artist) talked about the staging of a retrospective exhibition his work at the Long Beach Museum of Art.
   

• Members and guests gathered for a dinner and honored William Hunter with the CWA Lifetime Achievement Award.
   

• A CWA exclusive tour of two Chicago art galleries that specialize in studio wood art and furniture.  The tour also visited the home of a collector and enjoyed lunch there.
   

• Board meetings and the annual membership meetings were also held during SOFA.