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CWA Forums | Return to List of Forums |
September 1998, San Francisco |
| During the weekend of September 11-13, over 200 enthusiastic “woodies”
met at the Renaissance Park Hotel in San Francisco for three days of shared
interest in wood art. The group was made up of collectors, artists, gallery
representatives and panelists from all over the United States, Australia
and England. Starting on Friday night with a cocktail reception and ten galleries showing work from over 100 artists, the weekend got off to a great beginning. Socializing and “wood talk” was the order of the evening. Saturday morning 62 artists made presentations, captivating the audience with inspired talks and fascinating slides of their work. This was followed in the afternoon by animated panels on wood art/furniture from faculty at art colleges. In the afternoon, Robyn Horn convened collectors for the formal organization of the group and we now have a “dues-paying” Collectors of Wood Art with officers and a board. Saturday evening the exciting momentum continued as conferees dined and socialized. Lorne Buchman, President of CCAC, delivered a stunning keynote address and Bob Stocksdale was honored with a lifetime achievement award (to be awarded each year). Sunday morning we gathered again for a “turners” panel followed by an academic forum of artists, curator and critic who gave provocative, inspiring and occasionally controversial talks. The final event was a Napa Valley winery tour and an al fresco dinner we hosted at our new home in the Napa Valley. A highlight of the evening was a fund raiser for the Emma Lake Relief Fund. The galleries received broad interest from collectors and sold over one hundred objects in two days with a value of over $300,000. This was both profitable and reassuring for the galleries and the artists. This success will no doubt interest more galleries to be represented at our future annual meetings. All who attended the Collectors of Wood Art Forum came away with a great feeling of elation from the camaraderie of shared interest and commitment. We now have a heightened recognition and dedication in the art/collecting community and collectors’ organizations to keeping wood art on a larger map. Ron & Anita Wornick |