2026 Monthly Meeting Highlights - Ohio Valley Woodturners Guild

Home2026 Monthly Meeting Highlights

2026: MONTHLY MEETING HIGHLIGHTS and SHOW & TELL PHOTOS

January - June 2026

June Meeting - Annual Picnic

You can “handle” this one!

Thanks to those who joined us for the June member meeting and Annual Picnic on June 6 from 10am - 2pm. View the details on the right.

Activities included:
- Swap Meet
- Contest
- Show & Tell
- Picnic Lunch

Get a grip on the contest that lets you make anything with a handle, from bowls to scoops, pizza cutters, mallets, mugs, tools, etc. Use a kit or be as creative as you like. Your item is just required to have a handle.

One entry was awarded the “People’s Choice Award” as voted on by all members in attendance. Additionally, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards were selected in each of the three divisions (Novice, Intermediate, and Masters) by a panel of judges (John Shannon and John Albachten) from our Masters division.

Volunteers made the event happen - thanks to Barb Matulionis for coordinating.

June 2026 Picnic Photos

May Meeting

Dennis Fuge

Dennis Fuge is a wood turner from Erwinna, PA, who has been turning for 50 years and spent time in South Africa, Hong Kong and the USA. Dennis has demonstrated at club and national symposium events, and teaches at the Peters Valley, Snow Farm and the Arrowmont Schools of Arts and Crafts. His main focus is on deep hollow vessels, platters and artistic pieces. Some of his work will only use wood as a canvas as he creates some very eye-catching pieces using color, mixed media and carving. Some of his most interesting work includes metals such as pewter, copper and brass.

Classes at the OVWG Learning Center:

- Hollow Vessels from the Bottom Up:
Dennis Fuge - Hollow Vessels from the Bottom-up - 5/17/2026

- How to Say I Love You from the Lathe - learn about 10 ideas to show appreciation and then make 3 items:
Dennis Fuge - How To Say I Love You From A Lathe - 5/18/2026

April Meeting

All About Boxes

At our April meeting, John Shannon shared his process for turning elegant lidded boxes, offering members plenty of practical tips along the way. John begins with a blank where the grain runs parallel to the lathe bed. Using a bowl-style blank with alternating grain can create problems with lid fit, as seasonal wood movement may cause the joint to go out of round. The overall size and height-to-diameter ratio of the box are left to the turner’s preference, although John favors a lid height of approximately one-third of the finished box height, with an additional 6–7 mm added to the bottom for the tenon that fits the lid. As with many pleasing forms, the golden ratio is his preferred design guideline.

Show & Tell

March Meeting

Nick Cook

Nick Cook demonstrated a variety of turning pieces along with discussions on techniques and tool control. He is a founding member of the American Association of Woodturners and has served as vice president and conference coordinator. Nick was named the 12th honorary lifetime member of the AAW. He has written numerous articles for various woodturning publications including American Woodturner, Woodworkers Journal and American Woodworker.

Heard in the demonstration: “I’m running at 3,250 rpm because it wont go any faster”…

View the Pro Demonstrator profile and classes at:
Nick Cook

Demonstration

Show & Tell

February Meeting

Christine Smith

Christine Smith demonstrated lidded boxes and carved feathers. You can view her creations at respected institutions like the Southern Highlands Craft Guild galleries, the Folk Art Center in Asheville, John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown and the Bascom Center for Visual Arts in Highlands.

Follow her creative voyage on Instagram @Christinesmithwoodturner.

Christine’s web site: www.Christinewoodturner.com

View the Pro Demonstrator profile and classes at Christine Smith

Demonstration

Show & Tell

Pat Carroll returned from Turning 2025 to provide members with a Pro Class to create a Square Box with Finial as a two-session event.

January Meeting

Matt Monaco

Matt Monaco was our featured demonstrator at the January member meeting and provided beginner-to-advanced tips & techniques on tool control, sharpening and cutting. He also demonstrates for national woodturning clubs of the AAW, and teaches hands-on & private workshops nationwide. At the center of Matt’s work is his understanding & mastery of tool control, with sharpening and cutting execution being an expression of traditionally crafted design.

Check out Matt’s website at https://www.monacobowls.com/.

View Matt’s profile and classes at:Matt Monaco

Demonstration

Show & Tell