During the weekend of September 11-13, 1998, 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 the United States, Australia and England.

Starting on Friday night with a cocktail reception and ten galleries showing work from more than 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 California College of Arts and Crafts [renamed California College of Arts in 2003], delivered a stunning keynote address, and Bob Stocksdale was honored with a CWA Lifetime Achievement Award (to be awarded annually).

Sunday morning we gathered again for a “turners” panel followed by an academic forum of artists, curators and critics 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 fundraiser 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 more than $300,000. This was both profitable and reassuring for the galleries and the artists. This success will no doubt interest more galleries in attending 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