Craft in America: The Moulthrops

Ed, Philip and Matt Moulthrop
PBS (Public Broadcasting System) has a Craft in America section on their website with lesson plans for teachers. Interestingly, they have a series focusing on The Moulthrops: A Family of Woodturners. The site provides this description of the series:

The Moulthrops: A Family of Woodturners explores the work of three generations of woodturners in the FAMILY episode. Ed Moulthrop, known as the father of modern woodturning, was an architect who found a passion for creating beautiful large-scale turned wood objects. He single handedly raised national awareness of woodturning as an art while inventing tools used by woodcrafters today. Philip Moulthrop followed a career path similar to his father’s and trained to be a lawyer but found greater satisfaction in making uniquely patterned wood bowls. Matt Moulthrop apprenticed with his father and grandfather and continues the family tradition.

You can find this presentation at https://kcts9.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/moulthrops-a-family-of-woodturners-media-gallery/craft-in-america/

woodturner profile / woodturners

August Membership Meeting – Kathleen Duncan

Kathleen is an accomplished woodturner and artist who is a proud and engaged member of the American Association of Woodturners, the Cascade Woodturners and the Southwest Washington Woodturners. She served two terms on the AAW Board of Directors (2015-2020).

Kathleen’s start in woodworking truly began in early childhood watching her dad, Oscar Frey, build various wooden objects. She enjoyed watching him puzzle out how to make and build the different pieces and elements of his projects. Even at an early age she was absorbing his problem-solving methods and inventiveness as he progressed on a project. One of her most cherished pieces that he made for the family is a beautiful clock that Kathleen dubs the “Incredible Time Machine.” She also recalls a decorative spinning wheel that dad made for mom, Margaretta.

Kathleen will demonstrate the wing element of her interpretation of an umbrella ornament during our August 21st, meeting. She will include key elements of turning the wing form, design considerations and how she forms her piercings. This is certainly a timely topic leading into our September Mini- Symposium focused on holiday ornaments.

Social hour starts at 5:30, meeting starts at 6:30 at the Almendinger Center.


AAW / demonstrator / Membership Meeting / virtual / woodturner profile / woodturning events

Upcoming Woodturning Symposiums

The Ohio Valley Woodturners Guild is holding their Turning 2025 Symposium at the Higher Ground Conference and Retreat Center in West Harrison, Indiana from October 10th through 12th, 2025. Featured demonstrators include Andy Cole, Pat Carroll, Elizabeth Weber and Rebecca DeGroot. There will be a vendor show, Instant Gallery and auction. Lodging is available on site and nearby, including an RV park and campground.

The Segmented Woodturners Chapter of the AAW has rescheduled it’s Segmenting Chicago Symposium September 25 -27, 2026 at the Hilton Chicago Northbrook Hotel. The list of demonstrators is really a who’s who of the segmenting world. There will be an instant gallery, trade show, segmenting swap and raffle. There will also be a Beads of Courage collection box. There is much more information on the symposium website.

AAW / chapter profile / demonstrator / symposiums / techniques / woodturning events

July Membership Meeting – Brad Stave

Those who know Brad Stave will tell you that Brad has always worked with wood in some form or another. And those who don’t know Brad, but meet him, soon experience the intense love he has for wood. If names are omens in a person’s life, then Brad Stave‘s name was sure to destine him to a life of woodworking.

Brad began working with wood at the age of 5 when he received his first toolbox. “There hasn’t been a time that I can remember, where wood has not been a significant part of my life,” recalls Brad.

After graduating from college, Brad remained true to his heart. He realized that working with wood was not enough. He wanted to share his love for wood through teaching; and it has rewarded him with many enriching experiences. Brad taught Graphic Arts in Mukilteo, WA and then moved to Wyoming, where he taught woodworking to Arapaho and Shoshone Native American Children (grades 3-8).

Then in 1985, Brad moved to California. There he started a new job and became a father of a newly born daughter. Sensing her husband’s need to find some avenue to work with wood, Brad’s wife Silvia bought him a wood lathe. And from that point on, Brad knew he had found his niche. Brad says, “Of all the creative endeavors I have pursued, wood turning has been the most rewarding, it is the pursuit of my heart.”

By 2006 Brad was ready to get back home to the Pacific Northwest, so Olympia is now home; let the chips fly!

demonstrator / Membership Meeting / techniques / woodturner profile / woodturning events

June Membership Meeting – Dan Stromstad

Dan recalled passing by a small shop somewhere with his wife. Inside that shop, they admired some handmade wooden pens. Dan said to his wife, “I could make those.” A while after that, Dan walked into a woodworking store and saw pen making supplies. Dan purchase enough to get started and received a quick lesson on how to turn a pen. Shortly after he started making pens on that original lathe his uncle had given him many years ago. The funny thing about that lathe was that his dad had mounted it on a light weight, repurposed stand that wobbled a bit when he used the lathe. Dan endeavored to turn pens on that wobbly first lathe with some success.

Dan’s fourth lathe is the Powermatic lathe he has in his shop today. Here is Dan with a large maple blank in his previous shop. He calls this, “My Happy Place.”

Dan’s involvement with the SPSW grew over the years. Between 2010 and 2012, Dan served as club president. These days Dan looks forward to mentoring new woodturners and supporting charity causes by turning and donating wooden bowls.

Dan will be demonstrating Inside Out Turning a Christmas Ornament, timely subject giving you plenty of time to turn yours.

chapter profile / demonstrator / Membership Meeting / techniques / virtual / woodturner profile / woodturning events

A story in every turning

Note – This post is from our newsletter archives. It was the President’s message by Pat McCart from the March, 2009 issue of Chips & Shavings.

I was recently explaining the markings on the bottom of a highly figured spalted maple bowl with stone inlay to a coworker who remarked that I had a story for each piece that he had seen me turn. That is when I had one of those wow moments to which I stated that I probably had at least a half a dozen for each piece that I had ever turned, some pieces have even more.

When you consider all the steps that go into turning an item worthy of display it should not be a surprise to me that many of lifeʼs little stories would become imbedded in that bowl.

Stories like, where did you get the wood? Buy it or get it free? Cut it green or starting to punk out? What shape. Where did it go? What tool to use? Is it sharp? What cut? How much? How thin? What shape now? What finish? Who is it for? What piece is next?

If you have a favorite story about a piece of wood, and your journey with it into a turned item and on, let me know.

Uncategorized