Contemporary Coopered Form
A two-day workshop in one of the oldest and least-taught bending traditions.
Coopering gives us something solid timber cannot. By assembling staves into hollow forms, tubes, shells and bowl forms, we can build at a range of scales and achieve sculptural possibilities that would be difficult, or very wasteful, using solid wood.
It is one of the oldest traditions in woodworking. It is also one of the least taught, and one of the most relevant to contemporary makers working at the intersection of craft, sculpture and design.
This two-day workshop is a focused introduction to coopering as a living making practice, from the geometry of the stave to the resolution of the finished form.
What you will cover
The workshop moves from the underlying geometry of coopered construction through to making and resolving forms in the studio.
You will work with stave geometry and angle calculation, understanding how the number of staves, their width and their bevel angle combine to produce a given form. You will fit, assemble and refine coopered forms, and explore how coopering can be applied at different scales and to different ends, from functional vessels to purely sculptural work.
The emphasis throughout is on understanding the logic of the form, not just following a set of steps.
Workshop details
Duration: 2 days
Location: Mount Egerton VIC 3352
Group size: Maximum 4 participants
Experience: Open to all levels
Price: $660 per person (materials included)
Dates: Dates announced to the EOI list first, register your interest below
Mount Egerton is located on Wadawurrung Country in Central Victoria, approximately 90 minutes from Melbourne and 30 minutes from Ballarat. The studio is easily reached from Melbourne's west and from Geelong, Daylesford and regional Victoria.
Who this workshop suits
This workshop suits makers who want to extend what they can do with timber beyond the rectilinear, and anyone drawn to hollow and shell forms as a sculptural or functional possibility.
It is relevant to furniture makers, woodworkers, sculptors, designers and artists. No prior experience with coopering is required. Some woodworking experience is helpful but not essential.
A coopered red cedar leg blank before final shaping, with mortise already cut into the flat staves. Joinery is cut before the form is rounded.
About the teaching
Ross Annels has been working with bent and coopered form for over 25 years, across sculptural furniture, installation, and commission work. He has taught at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine, Sturt School for Wood, the JamFactory, and the Queensland College of Art.
Small group sizes mean teaching is close and responsive. There is time to work carefully, ask questions, and understand what you are doing and why.
Express your interest
Dates for this workshop are announced to the interest list first. If you would like to be notified when bookings open, contact Ross directly.
Where this fits
Contemporary Coopered Form sits within the bending program at Moonlite Studios. Those new to bending may want to begin with:
Introduction to Wood Bending, a 2-day comparative introduction to steam, kerf, laminated and coopered bending
Those wanting a broader exploration of bent form and sculptural expression can also explore:
The Bent Stick and the Sculptural Form, a 5-day masterclass in bending wood and expanding practice
Moonlite Studios is a working furniture making and creative practice based in Mount Egerton, on Wadawurrung Country in Central Victoria. Courses and mentoring are offered year-round in small groups within a studio environment.
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