Six full scholarships (covers tuition and materials). Applications for this opportunity are now closed.

Teacher: Christopher Schwarz
Assistant: Aspen Golann
Shop Lurker: Megan Fitzpatrick

This class is an introduction to building stick chairs – a vernacular form of furniture that has been around for centuries. Most stick chairs were built by amateur woodworkers or farmers who made chairs in the off-season. They were built with available materials and a small tool set. And unlike many formal furniture styles, such as Windsor chairs, stick chairs have far fewer rules and established forms. In fact, you are unlikely to ever find two identical stick chairs. This class is an introduction to building these chairs with a small kit of hand tools, a band saw and wood available from any lumberyard. Students will be provided with a wide variety of different chair patterns so they can personalize their chair by changing the undercarriage, rainbow, hands, sticks and comb.

Who should apply: We have 2 spots for students who have some chair making experience and want to start learning to teach others, and 4 spots for students with little-to-no chair experience but who have some sort of active teaching practice (elementary school math, educational writing, podcasting, etc). So if you want to learn about chairs and want to teach others, please apply! All applicants must identify as historically excluded or outsiders in the field of woodworking.