The Worshipful Company of Turners

Supporting the Craft, City and Charity for over four hundred years

Danielle Flowers studies at Ecole Escoulen

2017 Bursary Award Winner

Using funding from her bursary award, Danielle travelled to France in 2018 to Ecole Escoulen tournage sur bois aiguines, to learn ‘how to hollow form and how to have a good cut‘.  Here is her report of her experience:

I can honestly say that my experience at Ecole Escoluen Tournage sur bois has been one of the most memorable and challenging ones of my woodturning career so far. Without a doubt the knowledge and skills I learnt within the short period of teaching has improved who I am as a turner, expanding my knowledge of the tools and equipment, and enabled me to realise the benefits of working as a class and community for the duration of the course.

The course itself was absolutely fantastic, the intense classes from 8am – 5.30pm were a whirlwind of short activities which tested our ability with different techniques and tools. On day one we became accustomed to our lathe for the week, using a Oneway 1640 lathe, which due to my height had to be lowered to enable me to turn. I was in awe when I arrived into the workshop, seeing the mass of pristine lathes, a huge range of chisels, many that I hadn’t ever experienced before and cabinets of turned masterpieces that inspired me from the word go.

The course I took was ‘Hollow form and how to have a good cut’ taught by Yann Marot. Before arriving on the course I set myself goals of what I wanted to achieve while studying at the turning school, which included:

– Gain a detailed understanding of the difference in chisels and gouges, the correct profile and body movement when using them.
– Having a clearer understanding of the sharpening process and the different effects angles have on the quality of cut.
– Push myself out of my personal comfort zone, challenging my own perspective/limits of what I think I can create.
– Learn to hollow form! (Something if I am honest, I have been too nervous to try, which I have now overcome and thoroughly enjoying the new skill)

During the teaching I made detailed notes of every element of the class, for my reference when I came home. As the course was very fast pace, quickly moving from one topic to another, I only had a short window to master skills I had just learnt. The most difficult element of the course I found was learning how to use a Bedan for turning eggs! Safe to say every egg started off as a ducks egg and ended as a quails. Even though this is still a tool I struggle with, I am persisting to learn.

My proudest moment of the course was learning how to create a small flour scoop, combining knowledge of hollowing forming on a small scale, the use of a detailing spindle gouge and parting tool, but most importantly attention to detail in maintaining an even wall thickness. The tiny beech scoop that I made has been paraded around all my family members when I came home, as just this simple process has opened my eyes to a whole range of new possibilities. Ever since I have been trailing extra small sugar spoons, scoops and most importantly a bespoke baby rattle for my nephews first Christmas. I have been holding back on creating many new products until after the Christmas period, but all thanks to the once in a lifetime experience, which I was always be eternally grateful for.

I look forward to creating my blog in the new year, and taking you step by step through my whole leaning experience!

Danielle Flowers

Artist, Designer, Maker

Danielle Flowers is inspired by the primitive connections and relationship of material and process, encapsulating the transitional state of change between elemental materials:

Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water.

 

Applications for the next bursary awards must be received by the Turners’ Company by close of business on Friday 17 May 2019.  Those invited for interview will be notified by Friday 7 June 2019.  We expect interviews to be held during June 2019 and those selected will be informed very shortly thereafter.  For further information on the rules, and how to apply, please click on the following links:

Bursary Awards 2019 – Invitation to apply

Bursary Awards 2019 – Entry Form

 

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