Newsletter – Winter 2024
James Mursell
Welcome!
The last three months have been very busy, with two shows and lots of full courses. On top of that, kind words about my travisher from an American influencer (see below), have kept me and DPD flat out sending tools mainly to the US!
My final course of the year was last week making the Blenheim. I have the annual Sussex Guild craft show at Midhurst next weekend (details below) and then I can finally concentrate on my daughter’s wedding in the gap before Christmas!
I wish you all the very best for the rest of this year and next.
James Mursell
2025 Course Dates
I have added new dates for courses, through to the end of July 2025.
I try to spread the different chairs throughout the year, so you never have to wait too long for a particular design. Dates for autumn next year will be added in a few months’ time.
If you have a particular request, please do not hesitate to get in touch. I cannot promise to oblige, but will do my best!
Sussex Guild Midhurst Craft Show
Saturday 10 – 5 and Sunday 10-4, 7/8 December at Midhurst Rother College
As one of the organisers this show, I am a little biased, but this is always a great show in the run up to Christmas. We have 57 exhibitors from most craft disciplines, and you can be sure that everything on display was made by the maker on the stand, and to a very high standard.
I will have my full range of chairs on display, so do come and try them out and discuss options for making your own heirloom!
There will be great food and drink available during the show, so come along and take your time meeting makers and ticking items off your Christmas list!
The Power of an Influencer
Chris Schwartz has probably encouraged more people recently into making Windsor chairs (though he would call the stick chairs) than anyone else on the planet! He is based in Covington, Kentucky and runs Lost Art Press, publisher of many excellent woodworking books.
Although we have corresponded over the years, I finally met him at a wonderful tool show at the London Design and Engineering UTC right beside the Royal Albert Dock and just across the water from City Airport.
Chris had been over in London the previous week running a course at the college and not surprisingly he was much in demand at the tool show, signing books and chatting.
He has enormous energy and his output is prodigious. He has 172K followers on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lostartpress/
On the day after the show, and after Chris had posted about my travisher, my phone lit up with orders, and it went on for some time. This is a man who can move markets – at least in the small world of chair making! Thank you Chris!
Read the post that made such a difference!
Loads of woodworking goodies and a great blog to subscribe to.
Woodworking articles
The college was the venue for the International Woodworking Festival where I met Chris Schwartz at the beginning of November. It is a remarkable organisation and was started and is run by Geoffrey Fowler, the principal. Set on the northern side of the Albert Dock, next to the University of East London, and across the water from London City Airport, the location is stunning.
Derek Jones, former editor of Furniture and Cabinetmaking magazine is the leader of the furniture department:
I know that Geoffrey and Derek both hope to repeat the Festival, perhaps in 2025. If this is of interest, keep your eyes open for details and perhaps drop Derek a line.
The college caters to 14-19 year olds and their numerous links to industry are key to their success in getting their students into employment.
