Ch…ch…changes!

Boy, it seems like Summer flew by here in Santa Cruz! It wasn’t the warmest, or sunniest, of Summers, and I am looking forward to the warm, clear Fall days we usually have in September and during the Open Studios Art Tour in October. Open Studios is just one thing happening in my arts & crafts world. Read on...

Upcoming Soon! Santa Cruz County Open Studios Art Tour It's that time of year again. The first three weekends in October are when the Open Studios Art Tour 2014 happens! This is a juried event, so you can be sure you will be seeing the best artists and craftspeople in Santa Cruz County. The first weekend, October 4 & 5, is for South County artists. The second weekend, October 11 & 12, is for North County artists (where I am). The third weekend, October 18 & 19, is Encore Weekend, which includes artists in the entire county. You can start your tour now by purchasing the Open Studios Art Tour 2014 Guide or the Open Studios Art Tour App (iTunes and Google Play). With either, you can pick the artists you want to see and chart your course on the enclosed maps or your device. Guides are available at many locations throughout Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties. For more information on Open Studios and where to find guides and the app, go to the Arts Council Santa Cruz County website. To help you decide which artists to see, a preview exhibit, showing pieces by nearly all Open Studios Artists, is at the Santa Cruz Art League September 27 through October 19. An artists' reception is on September 28, from 3 to 6, at the Art League. You can also purchase guides at the Art League. My studio, number 269 in the Tour Guide, will be open from 11 to 5 on the second and third weekends, October 11-12 and 18-19. I will be showing most of my furniture and instruments from the last few years, plus a few surprises. As a little personal preview, the following is one of my newer pieces on the front of my Open Studios postcard. (Pick up postcards at the Santa Cruz Art League!) This is my newest piece of furniture. It is a medieval-style 3-legged chair I'll have on display at my Studio. It is hand-turned, hand-carved black walnut, with a hand-woven rush seat. This is based on a similar chair in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. So come on by and visit me October 11, 12, 18, or 19! Everything will be available for purchase!   Fall Woodcarving Class at Cabrillo! Once again I've been asked to teach a two day woodcarving class at Cabrillo College for the FallArts extension courses. This year it will be on two Sundays, October 26th and November 2nd. The class isn't quite full yet, so if you'd like to learn carving, or increase your carving skills, sign up on the Cabrillo Extensions FallArts web page. Cabrillo College Gallery 12 x 12 (x12) Exhibition! Starting October 6th at the Cabrillo Gallery on the Cabrillo College Campus is a fascinating collection of art and craft works all sized 12 inches by 12 inches. (Some are also 12 inches deep!) I just completed two brand new pieces that conform to these sizes. They will be on display from October 6 through October 31. A reception will be on Saturday, October 4th, from 4 to 6pm. Stop by after your Open Studios Art Tour! In The Studio There have been a few changes around my studio over the last month and many about to happen. Not long after Open Studios, our house will be remodeled. Fortunately, my studio is not part of the remodel, so I can continue working on new pieces and finishing up one or two that have been on the shelf for a couple of years. A big change for me is my new carving tool. I recently picked up a miniature chain saw carving device called The Merlin 2. It's a small angle-grinder type of device with a 2 inch circular chain saw blade. It is made specifically for carving medium to large sculptures. My first piece turned out quite well. Come to my Open Studio to see my carving tool up close, and to see the results! The other change is an addition to my carving workstations. A couple of years ago, I made a small carving bench with a vise that I use inside my studio for my smaller works. For larger pieces, I needed a bigger and sturdier bench able to hold hundred pound pieces of wood. Here it is! The top section is for small to medium carvings. It swivels and tilts in many directions so carving can be done easily on all surfaces. It is removable, so larger pieces can be attached directly to the bench top, or clamped in the vise. There is another device that attaches to the bench, but you'll have to come to Open Studios to see that! Old Instruments and Repairs I continue to get e-mails and calls from people who have recently purchased antique zithers, dulcimers, and other stringed instruments. Some were inherited from parents or grandparents, and some are from collections or are personal favorites. These instruments, being as old as they are, quite often need restoration or repair to make them playable again. If only to be displayed, conservation is an option for them. I'm always interested in restoring, repairing, or conserving unusual and different instruments with a history. My basic fee starts at $350 for major work. For minor repairs, such as new strings, small crack repairs, cleaning, etc., contact me for costs. Please send photos of areas that are damaged or in need of TLC to me at my email address. For major repairs, I provide a complimentary repair log.  I have openings in my schedule starting in November of this year and into 2015. Check with me for scheduling! If you have inherited a stringed instrument, such as a zither, dulcimer, or other zither-style instrument, or even old ukuleles, or know of someone who has, it is tremendously easy to have the instrument made a functional part of living history for a very modest investment, whether it is ever played again or displayed as a family heirloom. If you have old photos of family members playing the instrument, be sure to send them along as well. More ... Behind the Scenes - Folk Art Corner - Hot off the Press Behind the scenes: roncook Etsy shop My Esty shop is popular all over the world! I have been "favorited" by people as far away as Latvia and China. Recent sales have gone to Canada and Italy! Here's how to reach my shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/roncook. You may set up a free account on Etsy to preview and purchase any other items offered for sale. New Students If you are interested in learning how to carve, learning general woodworking skills, or learning about the history and construction of early European (medieval) or early American (19th century) stringed instruments, please contact me at ron@roncookstudios.com.  During the instrument course, the student will learn about the evolution of stringed instruments, research a particular instrument, create working drawings, and build it. Open to interested high school and college students. All students choose wood from my wood stash!   E-mail me for more information. Folk Art Corner: Items from special wood If you have some wood that has come from a "special tree" or are planning to remove a tree that has played an important role in your life or your family's life, please contact me to see what we can create to memorialize it. Suggestions: spoons, small instruments, small stools.   That’s it for now! I’ll have some photos of “new” pieces I’m working on. A new direction… More later! Onward through the fog…