In the downtown area, near the historic Boone Tavern and several galleries and restaurants, is the Berea Arts Council. During the weekend of the conference, they held an exhibit of furniture by Berea-area woodworkers. They had a chair by Brian Boggs (even though he moved away from Berea, they still claim him as their own), a table by Kelly Mehler and furniture, turnings and carvings from a couple dozen other artists.
The chair, above, was made by David Wright. The turning was by Jack Fifield. Both photos were by Gin Petty. One of the most interesting pieces was a reproduction tool chest by Don Weber. The original was discovered in Mästermyr on Gotland in 1936. It was preserved in a bogg and dates back to 1100 A.D. Weber recreated the chest and made the wrought iron hardware as well.
This was a great sampling of local woodworkers and shows the concentration of talent in this area. You can read more about the Berea Arts Council and their work at www.bereaartscouncil.org.
