Interested in learning the art of traditional woodworking? A new school in Maine has officially opened for 2021 after cancelling last year’s planned launch due to the coronavirus pandemic. Set in the scenic coastal community of Camden, Maine on Penobscot Bay, the Maine Coast Workshop is a small woodworking school focusing on hand tool techniques taught by well regarded masters of the craft.
The school is currently enrolling students in classes like Classical Carving, Marquetry and Inlay, Relief Carving, Make a Tea Cabinet and Make a John Elliot Chippendale Stool, all of which will be taught in June and July. Upcoming classes include Nantucket Baskets, Make a Windsor Chair, Shaker Oval Boxes, Ladderback Chair and more. Classes will be limited in size, with most hosting just 6-8 students, and the school is taking appropriate precautions in regard to the pandemic.
“Because of the high level of individual attention from our instructors, many classes are able to fully accommodate advanced to beginner skill levels. If a class is designed for an advanced level only, this will be clearly stated. Our instructors are chosen based on reputation as the best in the world at their craft, and just as importantly, their unsurpassed success as teachers to students of all ability levels. I explained my vision and philosophy behind the Maine Coast Workshop here: My interview with Popular Woodworking Magazine.”
“The focus of our classes is on traditional 18th century American craft. We are not in competition with, but cooperate with other woodworking schools; our difference is in emphasis. We desire to preserve and foster a greater awareness and respect for our unique heritage of fine American craftsmanship while passing on amazing skills of the early American craftsmen and women. We strive to preserve original techniques, many of which, frankly, have not been improved on. We will continue to support and recommend other schools in the area, depending on what students are looking for.”
This is a great chance to learn skills that translate especially well to historic New England Colonial architecture and design, and if that’s of interest to you, you should check out our White Pine Architectural Monographs, which delve into real life examples of the style in our region.
