Aficionados of Monmouthshire’s local crafts will be interested to take in a free exhibition by local woodturner Andrew James at Monmouth Museum from Saturday, 17th December until Sunday, 29th January.
A gifted and relative newcomer to the realm of top-quality wood craftsmanship, Andrew lives and works in Monmouth. He took up woodturning several years ago when he was inspired by a close friend who was a master carpenter in America. Andrew received a bowl blank from the carpenter’s sister and on returning home decided that the best way to honour his friend was to turn it himself. His woodturning journey had begun.
Andrew has a small workshop in Monmouth and has recently added a display area where clients can view his work by arrangement.
Wherever possible Andrew uses native Welsh wood – most of it is sourced from the Wye Valley – and he takes particular pleasure in creating special pieces for commission. The range of his work includes bowls, boxes, goblets, platters, pens, lamp bases and vessels, with all pieces finished to a high standard using a variety of finishes. No two are the same and where possible they are signed on their base.
In the past year his work has featured in two issues of Woodturning magazine and he also publishes on his website wyevalleywoodturning.co.uk and Facebook page Wye Valley Woodturning.
The museum’s opening hours are 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm on Monday to Saturday, while on Sundays the museum is open from 2pm to 4pm. All the work in the exhibition is for sale.
A special open evening will be held on Friday 6th January when the museum stays open until 9pm.
Christmas opening times are as follows:-
- up to and including Friday 23rd December – open as normal
- Saturday 24th December – special opening from 10am to 2pm
- 25/26/27/28 December – closed
- Thursday 29th to Saturday 31st December – open as normal
- 1st and 2nd January – closed
- Tuesday 3rd January onwards – open as normal
