Working Wood In The 18th Century

Any chair can be read as a postcard from a particular place and time, written in the language of its makers and customers. This year, we’ll explore six chairs, each from a different period, diverse in technical approaches and cultural backgrounds, but all united by the universal desire for a good place to sit. From the colonial period through the early decades of nationhood, from green woodworking to upholstery, carving to turning, and joinery to design, distinguished guests and expert staff from Colonial Williamsburg will spotlight a multitude of topics and techniques drawn from early America’s rich woodworking traditions.   

Esteemed chairmakers Elia Bizzarri and Curtis Buchanan will take the stage for a summit on Windsor chairmaking techniques with a focus on hand-powered production rates and Elia’s research into early 19^th^ century Massachusetts chairmaker Samuel Wing. Celebrated cabinetmaker and carver Ray Journigan will demystify and recreate one of pre-Revolutionary Philadelphia’s rococo masterpieces, a heavily carved side chair made in Benjamin Randolph’s shop for the Cadwallader family. Historical interpreter and woodworker Jerome Bias takes us into the antebellum world of Thomas Day’s North Carolina shop where complex race relations intertwine with the collision of the handwork tradition and the coming machine age as he explores a curvaceous and veneered mahogany side chair. Scholar Daniel Ackermann, director of Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, will deliver an opening keynote on a group of mid-18^th^ century Annapolis chairs.

From Colonial Williamsburg, master cabinetmaker Bill Pavlak will demonstrate the design and structure of Campeche chairs, a form with ancient roots that became fashionable on the east coast in the early 19th century by way of Mexico, New Orleans, and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Master joiner Brian Weldy takes aim at a Boston baroque armchair with complex turnings, sculpted arms, and Russia leather upholstery. That last part will be explored in depth by conservator of upholstery Sarah Towers, who will also walk attendees through the fundamentals of making a traditional slip seat. Apprentice joiner Laura Hollowood will demonstrate weaving a rush seat with traditional materials and senior curator of furniture Tara Chicirda rounds out our exploration of upholstery with an overview of different period approaches to seats by showing off several examples from the Colonial Williamsburg collection. Journeyman cabinetmaker John Peeler will explore some of the planes and planecraft required for period chairmaking. Director of Historic Trades and Skills Ted Boscana offers a banquet talk that pulls back the curtain on nine decades of Trades at Colonial Williamsburg to glimpse where we’ve been and where we’re headed.    

Whether you’re just making your entry into historical woodworking techniques and furniture history or are a seasoned veteran of the fields, our program, along with numerous hands-on and behind the scenes pre-conference activities, promises something for everyone. In-person and virtual options are available.  

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