I’m back!!
Actually I was never away, just been terribly slack at keeping up with my website. As you all know by now the computer is not my forte and I still haven’t figured out how to update a lot of the old info on here, but at least I remember how to post some stuff for those that are interested:)
So here’s the latest news and some pics……
Firstly and most importantly…. this summer I got my Green Card after my 3 year work visa ran out and am now a permanent US resident. It’s been a long and expensive road and such a relief to get it. Now Melissa, who undertook to do all the paperwork, something she expressed regret with many times over the last 3 years, can now breath easy and concentrate on her own work for the next 10 years.
Our next best news is…we have a Whare Iti (little house)!!!! For the last year and a half we have been building a, 24′ x 12′ x 11ft high at the front, tiny house. Not on wheels tho, built on a skid frame, 3x 24′ 6×6 cedar beams so we can winch it onto a low loader and move it when get some land. We have built it on Melissa’s sister’s land for now, about 20mins Nth of Asheville.
Our summer travels finished around Sept and spent 3 weeks solid living in our little pup tent, wiring/hooking up power. putting up gib board (sheet rock) and ceiling paneling so we could move in before the cold…got it nice and cozy now and soooooo good to have our own roof over our heads again:):) Still a lot of finishing to do, woodburner install next before it gets too cold, a little space heater is keeping it warm for now, insulated it real well and all windows doors double glazed.
We also had a crazy busy summer on the road teaching, wonderful week class’s at Peter’s Valley School of Craft, http://www.petersvalley.org/ and Marc Adams School of Woodworking http://www.petersvalley.org/ . A great visit to the Ohio Valley Woodturners Guild. As well as as demonstrating for the AAW Symposium in Portland OR followed by a 3 days class for BARN, a new school on Bainbridge Is in WA https://bainbridgebarn.org/ and a demo for the North west Woodturners. As well as AAW we also demonstrated for ‘Turning Southern Style’ in Dalton GA, and most recently the Virginia Symposium in Fisherville VA. We also got to squeeze in a couple of collaborative events, something very dear to my heart, Echo Lake in PA and Emma Lake in Nth Saskatchewan, and while up that way we also demonstrated at the Saskatoon Symposium and a 3 day class at the Black Forest Timber Co in Calgary https://blackforestwood.com/
Many many thanks to all who invited us and hosted us on our travels. The best bit is lots of opportunities to catch up friends in the woodturning world….and to make new ones:)
Next year is looking to be just as busy. Kicking of with the Florida Symposium in early February http://floridawoodturningsymposium.com/ followed by a week class at another new school, the Florida School of Woodwork https://schoolofwoodwork.com/events/turn-up-have-fun-graeme-priddle-melissa-engler/ sounds like a great school and promises to be a fun week. If you want to escape the winter chill come join us in Tampa:)
Straight after that we head to NZ, it’ll have been nearly four years since I’ve been back and am very excited to see fgamily and friends there again, and show Melissa a bit more of my homeland with a 10 day tour of the Sth Is.
First up there though will be a little work with a demo/class for the Nth Shore Woodturners Guild. While there we will also be taking part in CollaboratioNZ https://www.collaborationz.co.nz/ I hear there are still a few spots available at this event so if you want to experience a most amazing week of fun and creativity drop them a line.
Got a few other events we are still organising details of for next summer here. AAW Symp will be in Raleigh NC next year which is just down the road so all going well we’ll be there.
Then we have a West Coast tour lined up starting with the Silicon Valley Woodturners, then up to Seattle for another class at BARN then a demo and 4 days of hands on classes for the Olympia Woodturning Symposium, can’t find any link for this one yet. We’ll be driving over for this so if anyone wants us to stop by for a demo/class on the way we’d be happy to do so.
After the NW it’s straight back home for the Mid-Atlantic Symposium, keep and eye on this link http://www.mawts.com/ for upcoming 2019 info. Then down the coast for a demo/class for the Wilmington Woodturners, looking forward to a return visit with these wonderful folks.
In between all this crazy travel and house building we are still managing a fair bit of time in our workshop at https://www.grovewood.com/ working on some production orders right now for Xmas.
Cocktail Muddlers are our biggest selling item. And still making one off pieces for shows and commissions, here’s a few pics of recent work.
Below are some collaborative sculptures with Melissa….
Some of Melissa’s work…..
And some of mine….
The other thing that has taken off for me here is the woodburners stuff. I’m now making high power burners, handpieces and tips. Thanks to all who have made purchases, still haven’t firgured out how to sell over my website but if you are interested in anything drop me a line at graemepriddle.co.nz .
John Jordan is also retailing them for us at trade shows and it’s all available on his website https://www.johnjordanwoodturning.com/the-vaporizer-woodburner.html
And MDI Woodcarvers Supply in Maine are stocking the handpieces https://mdiwoodcarvers.com/t/graeme-priddle-burning-pens
Many thanks to John & Vicki, and Wayne at MDI for your support:)
Well I’ve down down with the flu for a week or two, having trouble shaking the last of it, and hence the reason I’ve had time to catch up on a LOT of overdue email and I feel much better for getting this done too, so I’m gonna tuck up now and rest a bit.
But While I’m here, as there’s a good chance it might be another year or two before another update, haha, I’ll take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for the upcoming festive season. Stay warm, or cool you Sthern hemisphere’ers and keep safe:)
Kindest regards