Talk about a close shave, right? Am I right?

The 2nd Annual Wisconsin Woodturners Expo will be held November 13 and 14 at the 29 Pines Conference center in Eau Claire. The expo is put on by the Chippewa Valley Woodturners Guild, a local club formed almost exactly two years ago. Ron Bartz, a member of the CVWG is hoping that this year’s expo will not only enlighten the public about what the club does, but that it will also create more interest. “(We hope to) show the talents of the members of the club,” Bartz said, adding that the CVWG hopes to show the people in the Chippewa Valley that there is a different kind of art form out there, and that this is the club for it. Woodturning involves cutting and shaping wood into different shapes and designs while the wood itself is rapidly rotated in a lathe. The CVWG has grown substantially in its two years, starting with 29 members in 2008 and now tallying 63, and they all have different talents. “(We have) quite a variety of people doing different things,” Bartz said. The members make everything from bowls to wine stoppers, with some seasoned veterans and others just starting to learn. According to Bartz, the CVWG’s expo this year will offer a wide variety of vendors, silent auctions, wood carving demonstrations, and even a chainsaw demonstration. General admission for the event is $2, or $10 for admission to all the demonstrations. It goes from 9am to 5pm. For more info on the CVWG or the expo, visit their website. 

Chippewa Valley Woodturners Guild • meets the first Wednesday of the month • Heartland Hardwoods, Bldg 13, Banbury Place, Eau Claire • 7pm • CVWG.org