The Bowl Gathering: Celebrating Wooden Bowl Craft with Workshops and Courses
The Bowl Gathering Woodworking Festival is a vibrant green woodworking festival dedicated to the art of crafting wooden bowls and related skills. Our event features a diverse lineup of skilled instructors and demonstrators, both from the UK and beyond.
Discover the Best in Bowl Turning
Experience a unique opportunity to connect with accomplished bowl turners and enhance your skills. Participate in daily workshops covering lathe-based turning, as well as adze and gouge carving techniques. Immerse yourself in forging courses and demonstrations to master the art of creating your own tools. Families, including children, are welcome to join the festivities, and well-behaved dogs on leashes are also permitted.
Convenient Facilities and Culinary Delights
Our site offers on-site cooking facilities through BBQs and fires, ensuring you have delicious meals throughout the day. Additionally, a food stall will serve hot breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Ample parking is available either next to the event venue or at the farm’s overflow carpark, allowing for easy unloading and weekend parking.
Hands-On Learning
While lathes and tools will be provided for course sessions, feel free to bring your personal lathe or carving equipment if you have one. The teaching areas will be sheltered, and if you possess a small shelter for your lathe, we encourage you to bring it along.
Weekend and Prefest Courses
Our weekend courses, priced at £20 for a 3-hour session, provide a variety of skill levels and disciplines. These courses are available for booking on the event day. If you require equipment, lathe rental is an option at £10 for a 3-hour slot, which includes a mandrel.
For those seeking a more immersive experience, we offer limited pre-fest courses spanning 1 to 2 days. These comprehensive sessions offer profound insights from our skilled instructors and are priced from £80 to £240.
Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to be part of The Bowl Gathering. Join us in celebrating the art of woodworking, fostering new skills, and connecting with like-minded individuals. Book your place today and get ready for an enriching experience like no other.
Date:
8th-10th September. More info and tickets here.
Prefest courses 6th-7th September. Tickets available here.
Location:
Brook House Woods
Herefordshire
HR74LB
If you are interested in volunteering at the Bowl gathering, please email woodlandmakers@gmail.com
Prefest Courses
Prefest courses 6th-7th September. Tickets available here.
Note: Prefest courses tickets do not include the price of a weekend ticket. Weekend tickets must be bought separately.
Pre fest courses will run on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th. Courses will range from 1 to 2 days and will start from 10am each day, participants traveling long distances will be welcome to arrive the night before their course starts. A simple vegetarian lunch will be provided during pre fest, along with plenty of tea and coffee. Tools, lathes and other equipment will be provided during the pre fest courses, but please bring any of your own tools with you that you would like to use, and it would be useful to bring a lathe if you have access to one.
AMY LEAKE
A veteran of green woodworking for a decade, Amy draws inspiration from Swedish and Baltic woodenware and historical ceramics. She finds joy in the everyday use of handmade items, appreciating the energy and care invested by their makers. Amy’s expertise shines, and we are thrilled to have her as an instructor this year!
Turning handled bowls – Thursday 7th – Price £120
GEOFF HANNIS
Uncover the German “Reifendrehen” technique for crafting animal rings. Learn to turn the profile on the lathe using hook tools and then split the resulting ring to reveal the animals. The process is particularly suited for Noah’s Ark type toys.
Reifendrehen Technique – Thursday 7th – Price £120
SHARIF ADAMS
Sharif Adams, a woodchip and fine curly shavings expert, specializes in pole lathe turned wooden bowls, plates, cups, and boxes. Join him for a one-day course focused on crafting locking lid boxes.
Locking Lid Boxes – Wednesday 6th – Price £120
JARROD DAHL
With 20 years of woodworking experience, Jarrod Dahl teaches wooden cups, handled mugs, bowls, plates, and lidded boxes. Learn the “Reifendrehen” technique and carve animals for a Noah’s Ark toy.
Reifendrehen Technique – Two-day course – Price £240
ADRIAN LLOYD
Ade’s passion for handcraft led him to Slöjd, and now he imparts his knowledge to others. Join him for a one-day beginners bowl turning course.
Beginners Bowl Turning – Wednesday 6th – Price £120
MATT WHITTAKER
In this half-day course, learn to forge hooks for bowl turning. Matt will guide you through forging, hardening, tempering, and sharpening your tools.
Forging Hooks for Bowl Turning – Wednesday 6th – Price £130
Forging Hooks for Bowl Turning – Thursday 7th – Price £130
FLO HAMER
Specializing in heritage crafts, Flo offers a one-day beginners bowl turning course. Create functional and beautiful pieces with natural materials.
Beginners Bowl Turning – Thursday 7th – £120
NADINE GRUNDY
Nadine’s two-day course covers crafting a carved wooden eating bowl with a lid. Learn from her vast experience with natural materials and decoration techniques.
Carved Wooden Eating Bowl – Two-day course – Price £210
OWEN THOMAS
Internationally recognized, Owen specializes in Pole Lathe turning and spoon carving. Join him for a one-day improvers course or a handled mug turning course.
Improvers Course – Thursday 7th – £120
Handled Mug Turning – Thursday 7th – Price £120
SEAN HELLMAN
Discover the art of sharpening with Sean Hellman, a seasoned woodworker and tool maker. This skill is invaluable for woodworkers at any level.
Sharpening – Thursday 7th – £85
JO-ANN BOLTON
Learn basketmaking from Jo Bolton, a skilled artisan with 25 years of willow experience. Craft a traditional oval stake and strand basket.
Willow Basket Weaving – Two-day course – Price £210
NIC WESTERMANN
Forge an exceptional tool under the guidance of Nic Westermann, renowned for his precision and focus on edge geometry. Join his two-day Adze forging course.
Adze Forging – Two-day course – Price £240
