Article: Reclamation and Restoration
click on link below to read article:
http://www.thedailymail.net/articles/2011/10/06/windham_journal/news/doc4e8c6f7686b11596734688.txt
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Banner Hill Featured In The Sept./Oct. Issue Of The Hook Magazine
Article: Kip Christie: A Way With Wood
(pg. 47)
click on link below to read article:
http://thehook.org/1012011/hooksept.html
(pg. 47)
click on link below to read article:
http://thehook.org/1012011/hooksept.html
Friday, April 29, 2011
Working Through the Problem
When we're not teaching woodworking we are working on commission pieces. Presently, we have a number of projects underway that gives me an opportunity to experiment and learn from my own mistakes. I'm a firm believer that if you are not making an occasional mistake from time to time, you're not learning.
One such piece is a customized bed frame. Because the room itself is small the frame has been designed with two pull out center drawers and a third draw that pulls out at the foot of the bed. The drawers are made of poplar and the fronts will be face framed in the finish. In planning out the drawers I decided to do half blind dove tails at the front and finger joints at the back. I cut the finger joints on a jig we have that can produce a number of different size joints. As I began to cut the joints I was unaware that the position of the fence had moved. Lesson number one, don't be in a rush. Do a test cut first to make sure your measurements and machine settings are just so.
Once I got the piece back to the bench I had something less than satisfactory. What to do? For a commission piece where time is money I thought I had something suitable for the wood stove. On the teaching side, I had an opportunity. What if this was a student's project? What if the material was an expensive species of wood? Sometimes it is worth the extra time to figure out how to make it work and learn something in the process. For a student with limited time this is an important consideration. If they can fix it, they will become more confident in problem solving once they get home.
The fix was actually simple all though the glue up process took longer. I glued each corner individually inserting small splines into the spaces. Once sanded it was hardly noticeable and probably only to me. And since it is at the back of the drawer, it will hardly ever be seen.
What do you think? What kind of problem solving have you experienced? How useful do you find it learning from your own mishaps? Let us know. We'd like to hear!
Kip Christie
One such piece is a customized bed frame. Because the room itself is small the frame has been designed with two pull out center drawers and a third draw that pulls out at the foot of the bed. The drawers are made of poplar and the fronts will be face framed in the finish. In planning out the drawers I decided to do half blind dove tails at the front and finger joints at the back. I cut the finger joints on a jig we have that can produce a number of different size joints. As I began to cut the joints I was unaware that the position of the fence had moved. Lesson number one, don't be in a rush. Do a test cut first to make sure your measurements and machine settings are just so.
Once I got the piece back to the bench I had something less than satisfactory. What to do? For a commission piece where time is money I thought I had something suitable for the wood stove. On the teaching side, I had an opportunity. What if this was a student's project? What if the material was an expensive species of wood? Sometimes it is worth the extra time to figure out how to make it work and learn something in the process. For a student with limited time this is an important consideration. If they can fix it, they will become more confident in problem solving once they get home.
The fix was actually simple all though the glue up process took longer. I glued each corner individually inserting small splines into the spaces. Once sanded it was hardly noticeable and probably only to me. And since it is at the back of the drawer, it will hardly ever be seen.
What do you think? What kind of problem solving have you experienced? How useful do you find it learning from your own mishaps? Let us know. We'd like to hear!
Kip Christie
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Fine Painting And The Seven Elements Of Design
Design exists in everything around us, from the simplest flower to the complex human structure. One might say, to design is to have purpose.So when we design in art, we are deliberately planning and arranging elements in a way that creates a united effect. When used together, all design elements help create unity in painting. When we speak of design elements in art we are actually speaking of the basic components critical to creating a work of art.
These elements are:
Shape which is a two-dimensional area having identifiable boundaries, created by lines, color, or value changes, or some combination of these.
Size which is very simply the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that area occupied by another shape.
Line, which there are two ways to describe: a mark made by an instrument as it is drawn across a surface or the edge created when two lines meet.
Texture which is the surface or tactile quality of an object - its smoothness, roughness, softness, etc.- and trying to recreate this appearance in paint.
Value, the relative lightness or darkness of a hue, or of a neutral varying from white to black.
Color which is pigment (with the determining properties of tint, intensity, and value), and....
Form, the physical appearance of a work of art, its materials, style, and composition.
Learn more about the seven elements of design - shape, size, line, texture, value, color, and form- the building blocks of creating your own work of art in our Beginning Watercolor Painting Intensive course with Beatrice Cohen, June 19th-23rd at Banner Hill School.
Also in the Fine Arts series:
Canvas Stretching - July 8th - with instructor Candace Christiansen
Portrait Painting Workshop - July 9th-10th or Aug. 2nd-3rd - with instructor Roy Mendl
Please visit us at: BannerHillLLC.com for course descriptions and registration.
The Aspiring Woodworker
We have recently received several inquiries about the Aspiring Woodworker. This is our most popular woodworking course at Banner Hill and is being offered three time this summer and fall. Course dates are June 13 - 17, August 15 - 19 and September 12 -16.
This is a great course not only for those venturing into woodworking but those with advanced skill looking for some concentrated time that is difficult to get during the daily routine of life. For those interested in learning simple easy to use furniture design concepts, milling and laying out of joinery work, crafting from raw lumber into a distinctive piece of furniture, this class is for you. For the more experience woodworker, you can push your limits bound only by your imagination.
In this one week course we emphasize hand techniques. No sense in learning on machines you may not have at home. More importantly, a solid base in hand skills will help you work around problems you always will encounter or in areas where machines are not available or not appropriate for the task.
During this course you will design your own project. Complete a side by side and perspective drawing. Illustrate detailed joinery work. Mill your own wood to specification and layout for joinery work. At the end of this five day course you will have designed and built your own piece of furniture.
So make your summer plans now. Sign up for the Aspiring Woodworker or other classes we offer in ceramics, paper making, painting and textiles. Visit www.BannerHillLLC.com for more details.
Kip Christie
This is a great course not only for those venturing into woodworking but those with advanced skill looking for some concentrated time that is difficult to get during the daily routine of life. For those interested in learning simple easy to use furniture design concepts, milling and laying out of joinery work, crafting from raw lumber into a distinctive piece of furniture, this class is for you. For the more experience woodworker, you can push your limits bound only by your imagination.
In this one week course we emphasize hand techniques. No sense in learning on machines you may not have at home. More importantly, a solid base in hand skills will help you work around problems you always will encounter or in areas where machines are not available or not appropriate for the task.
During this course you will design your own project. Complete a side by side and perspective drawing. Illustrate detailed joinery work. Mill your own wood to specification and layout for joinery work. At the end of this five day course you will have designed and built your own piece of furniture.
So make your summer plans now. Sign up for the Aspiring Woodworker or other classes we offer in ceramics, paper making, painting and textiles. Visit www.BannerHillLLC.com for more details.
Kip Christie
Sunday, April 3, 2011
The Art of Beautiful Writing
Calligraphy is the stylized and elegant art form of handwriting. The word calligraphy itself comes from the Greek words kallos meaning "beauty" and graphe meaning "writing". This art form which uses pen or brush and ink in a creative balance of correct formation of characters, the ordering of various parts, and the harmony of proportions has been revered highly by Asian, Arabic, and European cultures for many centuries. Learn the art of beautiful writing in our Beginning Calligraphy 1 day classes May 11th, June 8th, July 13th, Aug. 10th, Sept. 14th or Oct. 2nd, 2011 at Banner Hill School. To learn more about Beginning Calligraphy please visit BannerHillLLC.com
Monday, March 28, 2011
Learn the Art of Shaker Oval Box Making
Here is a great one day class for just you, or maybe you and your daughter or son. On May 7th we are holding a Shaker Oval Box making course. It's fun and creative. Better yet, at the end of the day you'll have something that's useful, but also attractive and would make a great gift. A child 12 years or older can accompany an adult for this class. We will take you through each step of the process from soaking and bending the wood to fitting the tops and bottoms. You will make a series of three oval boxes. We will also discuss different types of finishes you can apply when you get home.
So, join us at Banner Hill and sign up early. Visit us at BannerHillLLC.com to view this course and others.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Painting With Light
Stained glass can be traced back in time for centuries, and from the Middle Ages on, has flourished as an art form. Besides design, proportion, tonal control, and color, the "canvas" of the stained glass artist must be appreciated, for stained glass is the only art form that relies entirely on light for its effect. Every other art form, from painting and sculpture to tapestry and jewellery, is designed to be appreciated by reflected light and thus the artist controls his shapes and colors knowing that the purely physical reflection in the spectator's eye will be exactly as he plans it. With a stained glass piece, however, the artist must control a powerful energy which will be transmitted through his medium of expression. The artist must paint with light itself. ~Lawrence Lee, Stained Glass
This Summer and Fall learn the ancient art of painting with light at Banner Hill School:
Stained Glass Workshop I ~ 1 day course ~ Instructor: Connie Pruiksma
offered: May 7, July 1 or, Sept. 10
Stained Glass Workshop II ~ 1 day course ~ Instructor: Connie Pruiksma
offered: June 11, Aug. 12 or, Oct. 8
Master Stained Glass Intensive ~ 4 day course ~ Instructor: Doris Cultraro
offered: July 25-28
Stained Glass Computer Design Program ~ 1 day course ~ Instructor: Doris Cultraro
offered: July 29
offered: July 29
For more information on these courses and registration please visit: BannerHillLLC.com
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
2011 Summer/Fall Schedule
The past few blogs, facebook and tweets have been about our summer/fall schedule of classes. On the Banner Blog you will be able to read about each class in more detail.
Last year we began offering a furniture woodworking course for women only taught by our very own Mary LaCafe. Mary is a very talented and creative self taught furniture maker and has been with the school for 3 years. When she's not at the school she's busy creating in her own studio. We have redesigned this class from a two week course to one week to make it easier to attend. In this class you will learn simple but very useful design techniques that will be employed by you to design your own unique piece of furniture. Mary will take you through the wood selection process and milling, teach and demonstrate layout of joinery work, use of hand tools and machines. Step by step she will lead you to create your own unique and individualized piece of furniture.
So, sign up early for this one as it is sure to fill up. This course will be offered July 11th through the 19th.
For those who who have a connection with the beauty of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson River valley that inspire the Hudson River School of Painters you won't want miss this very special workshop. The very talented Thomas Locker will lead this workshop off with a discussion of the techniques used by such acclaimed artists as Thomas Cole. Lauren Sansaricq and Erik Koepple will then lead the workshop teaching and through practical demonstrations. You can read about all three of these artists by visiting our website at BannerHillLLC.com and click on guest artists.
The date of this workshop will be announced soon, so stay tuned.
To view other courses please visit BannerHillLLC.com, email us at BannerHillWindham@mac.com or give us a call at 518 929 7821
Last year we began offering a furniture woodworking course for women only taught by our very own Mary LaCafe. Mary is a very talented and creative self taught furniture maker and has been with the school for 3 years. When she's not at the school she's busy creating in her own studio. We have redesigned this class from a two week course to one week to make it easier to attend. In this class you will learn simple but very useful design techniques that will be employed by you to design your own unique piece of furniture. Mary will take you through the wood selection process and milling, teach and demonstrate layout of joinery work, use of hand tools and machines. Step by step she will lead you to create your own unique and individualized piece of furniture.
So, sign up early for this one as it is sure to fill up. This course will be offered July 11th through the 19th.
For those who who have a connection with the beauty of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson River valley that inspire the Hudson River School of Painters you won't want miss this very special workshop. The very talented Thomas Locker will lead this workshop off with a discussion of the techniques used by such acclaimed artists as Thomas Cole. Lauren Sansaricq and Erik Koepple will then lead the workshop teaching and through practical demonstrations. You can read about all three of these artists by visiting our website at BannerHillLLC.com and click on guest artists.
The date of this workshop will be announced soon, so stay tuned.
To view other courses please visit BannerHillLLC.com, email us at BannerHillWindham@mac.com or give us a call at 518 929 7821
Sunday, March 13, 2011
The Kaaterskill Outdoor Chair
Wondering what to do this spring? How about a two day course here at Banner Hill. We'll help you get ready with this classic out door chair you can put on the porch, pool side, the barbecue, etc. And once you learn how to build this simple chair you will be able to build more at home. We'll take you step by step right to the finish; paint, stain, varnish. This is an easy piece of outdoor furniture to make. You will learn about structural elements, plan and design as they relate to creating a functional piece.
Visit our website at BannerHillLLC.com for more information and other class offerings in woodworking, ceramics, paper making, painting and more.
Kip Christie
Friday, March 4, 2011
You may have seen me mention about spring on Banner Hill's facebook. Although it may not be here officially there are plenty of signs outside that it is coming. And, one of the surest signs inside here at Banner Hill is the newly arrived catalog of Summer/Fall courses. They're all out in the mail, however, if you desire one just email us at BannerHillWindham@mac.com or visit our website at BannerHillLLC.com.
We have worker hard all these months to bring you an interesting a diverse spectrum of offerings. We not only added to the listing in ceramics and woodworking but have brought in other unique and challenging courses in paper making, stain glass, gilding, portrait and landscape painting to name a few. Not only that but a number of courses this year will offer more than one craft medium. For example, if you take the Japanese floor lamp course you will not only be working in wood but you will be making the shade from paper. That is, you will make the paper! Did we mention functionality?
As we launch into the 2011 summer season we will be doing highlights up coming classes and the artists who will be instructing them. You may see them on facebook, read a tweet or receive an e-burst. But, for the details you'll want to visit the blog where you will be able to comment, ask a question or post your thoughts. You can always email us or do we dare say call us. Yes, we are all too glad to receive your calls at 1 518 929 7821.
So, start making you summer plans now. And by the way, there are plenty of other things to do in the Windham area when you venture out of the shop and studios. Are you into road cycling? We have plenty of that and the local cycle shop in town has Thursday night rides. Visit the the Thomas Cole house or just across the river, the Hudson River, is Frederic Church's magnificent Olana with sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains. Or, if you just prefer to relax and chill out, take one of our Kaaterskill chairs over to the pond. Take a dip or bring your fishing or fly rod and try your luck.
We look forward to having to at Banner Hill.
Kip Christie
We have worker hard all these months to bring you an interesting a diverse spectrum of offerings. We not only added to the listing in ceramics and woodworking but have brought in other unique and challenging courses in paper making, stain glass, gilding, portrait and landscape painting to name a few. Not only that but a number of courses this year will offer more than one craft medium. For example, if you take the Japanese floor lamp course you will not only be working in wood but you will be making the shade from paper. That is, you will make the paper! Did we mention functionality?
As we launch into the 2011 summer season we will be doing highlights up coming classes and the artists who will be instructing them. You may see them on facebook, read a tweet or receive an e-burst. But, for the details you'll want to visit the blog where you will be able to comment, ask a question or post your thoughts. You can always email us or do we dare say call us. Yes, we are all too glad to receive your calls at 1 518 929 7821.
So, start making you summer plans now. And by the way, there are plenty of other things to do in the Windham area when you venture out of the shop and studios. Are you into road cycling? We have plenty of that and the local cycle shop in town has Thursday night rides. Visit the the Thomas Cole house or just across the river, the Hudson River, is Frederic Church's magnificent Olana with sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains. Or, if you just prefer to relax and chill out, take one of our Kaaterskill chairs over to the pond. Take a dip or bring your fishing or fly rod and try your luck.
We look forward to having to at Banner Hill.
Kip Christie
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The New Year!
I always had the dream of starting some thing like Banner Hill since attending my first woodworking class. That was at Bergenfield High School, Bergenfield, NJ back in...well, let's just leave it there.
This dream began to take form from one of our pre-1850 reclaimed and restored timber frames that is now part of the school. I remember standing on the top plate setting rafters thinking, where am I going to get the people to help me teach? I have since been as much surprised as humbled by the wealth of talent hidden, but not really, here in the northern Catskill Mountains. Humbled because these artists all have their own following locally, nationally and internationally. And, the leave me no doubt that the passion they bring to their work is part of the fabric of their life. Inspiring. Surprised? Perhaps by my own ignorance that time had past these Catskill Mountains by. However, the same beauty the drew Thomas Cole and Frederick Church also drew many of the artists that bring their gifted talents here to Banner Hill.
I must say we have put together an impressive schedule of classes and artists for 2011. We have design programs this year that will be multi-dimensional. If you come to build a Japanese floor lamp you will not only be working in wood but making the paper shade that will fit into it. We will have another paper making course where you make the paper, print on it, make your own frame, gild it for a finish. We will also continue to offer concentrated programs in furniture design and building, ceramics, a kiln building class, portrait painting and painting workshops in the skill and techniques of the original School of Hudson River painters. And, we doing have the landscape and vistas to go with it.
So, challenge your creativity and imagination. Visit BannerHillLLC.com for course offerings. Our website is constantly updated.
Kip Christie
Banner Hill School of Fine Arts and Woodworking
This dream began to take form from one of our pre-1850 reclaimed and restored timber frames that is now part of the school. I remember standing on the top plate setting rafters thinking, where am I going to get the people to help me teach? I have since been as much surprised as humbled by the wealth of talent hidden, but not really, here in the northern Catskill Mountains. Humbled because these artists all have their own following locally, nationally and internationally. And, the leave me no doubt that the passion they bring to their work is part of the fabric of their life. Inspiring. Surprised? Perhaps by my own ignorance that time had past these Catskill Mountains by. However, the same beauty the drew Thomas Cole and Frederick Church also drew many of the artists that bring their gifted talents here to Banner Hill.
I must say we have put together an impressive schedule of classes and artists for 2011. We have design programs this year that will be multi-dimensional. If you come to build a Japanese floor lamp you will not only be working in wood but making the paper shade that will fit into it. We will have another paper making course where you make the paper, print on it, make your own frame, gild it for a finish. We will also continue to offer concentrated programs in furniture design and building, ceramics, a kiln building class, portrait painting and painting workshops in the skill and techniques of the original School of Hudson River painters. And, we doing have the landscape and vistas to go with it.
So, challenge your creativity and imagination. Visit BannerHillLLC.com for course offerings. Our website is constantly updated.
Kip Christie
Banner Hill School of Fine Arts and Woodworking
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