Instructors

  • Carl Durance

    Carl works in many media including wood (turned, 3D sculpture), glass (flameworked/lampworked, fused), clay (stoneware and porcelain pottery), and precious metal (jewelry).
    Carl started turning wood in the mid 1980s. He is currently a member of the Grey-Bruce Woodturners Guild in Kincardine, Simcoe Woodturners Guild in Barrie, Thames Valley Woodturners Guild in London, American Association of Woodturners, Segmented Woodturners, and Ornamental Turning International. Through a combination of instructional training and self-taught (trial & error), Carl continues to develop and refine his technique.
    Carl concentrates on domestic woods, including maple, cherry, birch, butternut, and walnut. He enjoys using exotics on occasion. He likes to incorporate surface embellishments, such as air-brushed, gilded, or wood burned accents, on a turned piece.
    Carl shows his work and teaches a variety of classes at the Southampton Art Centre in Southampton and Stephen Hogbin's Intersections Wood Gallery & Studio in Owen Sound, and is a regular presenter at other guilds and public events.

  • Jennifer Hart

    Jennifer Hart has been a woodworker for almost 25 years. While working at Lee Valley Tools she thought she’d try her hand at teaching. Nineteen years later she has taught thousands of people how to use power tools. She’s passionate about giving women the opportunity to learn new skills and become self-reliant.

  • Simon Kitz

    Simon Kitz is a Toronto based designer/builder. Upon graduating from design school, Simon apprenticed with Stephen Hogbin in Lake Charles before moving back to Toronto to open is own design/build practice. Since then, Simon has shown in numerous shows and galleries -including the AGO- and has applied his skillsets in every facet of the design industry including residential, commercial, film, aerospace industry and government. He is currently in the process of launching his first line of production art furniture.

  • Elisabeth Laustroer

    Mrs L is a talented and creative woodworker with years of experience teaching children the joys of woodworking. She received her first fretsaw at age 10 and has been going strong since. She trained as early childhood educator and kindergarten teacher in Germany, and taught children woodcraft for more that a decade through Guelph Parks and Recreation. She focusses on safety and nurturing children's creativity.

  • Pierre Rousseau

    Bio Coming Soon!

  • Judith Skuce

    Bio Coming Soon!

  • Helen Solmes

    Photography is more than a hobby for Helen Solmes - it is a passion that she has pursued for some 30 years, first black and white film photography, then digital as a prerequisite to her work in communications. Helen has dabbled in woodwork for almost as long but more earnestly since her retirement eight years ago.