Artistry in Wood

As the holiday season approaches, so, too, does the season for craft fairs and art markets, but the Northeast Wisconsin Woodworkers Guild continues to offer an experience unlike any other — the annual Artistry in Wood show, held Saturday, Nov. 8, and Sunday, Nov. 9, at Denmark High School.

“It’s different from a normal craft show because there’s nothing that’s bought and resold…” said event chair Jim Michiels. “It’s all handmade by the craftsmen that are selling their items. Each item is unique, made one at a time, and it’s all woodworking items… There will be hundreds of unique creations that you’ll find there. You can find unique Christmas gifts there for hard-to-buy-for people.”

The more than 60 craftsmen featured in the show are all members of the Northeast Wisconsin Woodworkers Guild, an organization dedicated to building up a community of local woodworkers by offering education, fellowship, resources and a love of the craft.

“The Woodworkers Guild has members from Sheboygan up through Door County, as far west as New London and Waupaca and as far north as Florence,” Michiels said. “It’s a guild that brings together craftsmen to learn from each other and to share with each other. Each month we have meetings where people can share what worked, what didn’t work… how they finish, how they carve. It’s made up of multiple disciplines, from wood carvers to wood turners to furniture makers to basket weavers — you name it. If it’s wood, there’s probably somebody in our guild that does it.”

In addition to unique handmade items, the Artistry in Wood show also offers the opportunity for attendees to learn from the craftsmen — something Michiels said is especially helpful to beginning woodworkers or those who are interested in getting started.

“It’s also a great show because of the fact you can sit and talk to the craftsmen that made the items,” Michiels said. “If you’re thinking about [getting into woodworking] and not sure what kind of wood discipline you want, this is a good show because you can see just about everything there and you can talk directly to the craftsmen… A lot of these people have been doing this their whole life. A few years ago, we had a guy that was 95 years old and he started carving when he was 16. You can learn a lot from these people who have been doing this for decades.”

But it’s not just craftsmen with decades of experience that will have items on display, as this year’s show will also feature woodworking projects from students in the area.

“Oconto Falls Middle School will have some items there and Denmark High School will have some items there,” Michiels said. “It’s one of the things we do to promote youth in woodworking and doing hands-on stuff… We also have a couple of younger craftsmen that will be there — this year we’ve got a new one that’s doing a lot with epoxy resins and making charcuterie boards and end tables.”

This year’s Artistry in Wood show will also feature food available from the VFW Auxiliary and a VFW Color Guard presentation on both Saturday and Sunday.

More information about the show can be found at newwg.org/annual-show/.