October 1997, Little Rock, Arkansas

The Birth of CWA

In October 1997 in Little Rock, Arkansas, John and Robyn Horn organized a weekend for those who collect objects made of wood.

Robyn was seeking a way to promote wood artists and to educate everyone about the exciting work that was being done in the field of wood. While the list of artists doing new and innovative work was growing, the number of collectors passionate about wood was not increasing at the same pace.

Robyn invited all participants to a meeting to discuss the problem and suggested forming a collectors group. Attended by 125 collectors, artists, gallery owners and museum directors, the weekend was an exciting time for those who attended.

The first evening the Horns hosted a reception to show both their new home designed by John Connell, a disciple of Frank Lloyd Wright, and their magnificent art collection. On the last day, they treated what had become a very cohesive and enthusiastic group to a great catfish fry by the lake.

The Decorative Arts Museum of the Arkansas Arts Center hosted an incredible exhibit of wood. Half of the exhibited works sold during the weekend. The Arkansas Arts Center purchased five of the pieces for its collection.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock held a regional exhibition. The slide show presented there by attending artists was the event most talked about and has been a component of some later Forums.

On the last day of the weekend, artists presented available work at an instant gallery.

The participants voted to form Collectors of Wood Art (CWA) as a major step in organizing collectors and artists to support the wood art field and to elevate wood to the stature of fine art in the art community. They appointed a Steering Committee, and Robyn Horn was elected President.

The enthusiasm and passion that emerged from the weekend in Little Rock were overwhelming. Ron and Anita Wornick volunteered to have the second Forum in San Francisco, and CWA became an official supporter of art made from wood.