Te aon PAGE 4 - NORTHWEST FORESTRY DIGEST ~JANUARY 1997 Adding Value to Wood Searching for decorating ideas? Why not choose a value-added item of wood crafts, products and art made in northem B.C. sug- gests Len Bosch, of North- ern Wood Forum, to be held May 8-10 in Williams Lake. "We have world class artisans and crafis-people producing fine products all adding value to our forest resource,” says Bosch, Co- Chair of NWF Host Com- mittec. "Last year’s Touch Woed forum in Vanderhoof, showed the 6000 visitors the range of value-added wood products from handcrafted furniture to works of art. Many of these would make fine gifts," he says. As examples Bosch points to the 1996 Touch Wood forum award recipients. Vanderhoof’s Brent Raphael shared the Juror’s choice award for his native wood carvings with Scott Weaver, also of Vanderhoof, whose fine wooden trucks attracted aulention. Know an archer? John Wiebe, Wanderhoof, won the most-value added product award with his ar- rows. If you or a friend are decorating a home then Kevin Taylor and Amber Shipley make fine log furni- ture in Prince George, as does Rick Kost of Big Lake, Todd Stockner of Hazelton, who won with a room divider, and Kathy Gessman of Prince George. . For outdoor furniture, for a deck or garden, there is birch - furniture - — from Jovanka Djordjevich | of Prince George, Deanna Schimdt who make lwig fur- niture in Fort St: James .or William Graham with ‘his cedar garden products in Prince George. In fine art, there are the wood carvings of Billy Ed- mund ‘in Vanderhoof, the. wildlife carving of Charles Canaday in Williams Lake and the carved loons of Mark: and Inez Coe in Anahim Lake. — Many of these artisans | will be at local craft fairs, says Bosch, but most will produce goods to order. "It is not only an example of shopping local (o support our region and keep the dol- lars at home, but it is the kind of support that artisans and artists need to stay in business." And he stresses, | Serving and supplying the forestry and mining industry with computers and programs all of these are good exam- ples of adding value to our forest resources, . "There are even toys, for children or adults,” he says “toys that will become fam- ily heirlooms and be passed on to other generations." These included Norm ‘Glass trucks and those made, by’. Robert Schepens of Prince George: Schepens also. crafis ine jewelry boxes. Beyond toys are the musical. instruments of Larry. Stamm of McBride who got. rave reviews last year for his classical guitars. Then for the home there are the woodturned bowls of Sveb Mueller of Prince George, the sculpted boxes or Stuart Simpson and Christine Kelly of Atlin, and inlaid wood pictures from Glen Stanely of McBricle. Bosch acknowledges. that sometimes it takes a litile more time to track-down lo- cal wood crafters and artists but feel it is worth the ef- fort. Check local galleries, museums and gift shops, he suggesis. "We can all think of ex- amples of where our society has lost valuable artisans, FO 4 UR_DIMENSION COMPUTER SYSTEMS * PRINTERS * NETWORKS » SOFTWARE * CD ROM * REPAIRS 4188 KING STREET, SMITHERS 847-5126 * FAX: 847-3764 Madem cD Encarta © P. | ASI® Pro e Pentium 133MHz Intel processor g| © 256K Pipelin Burst Cache * 16Mb EDO Ram f © 1.6Gb Hard Drive * ASI 14" SVGA Colour Monitor US Robotics 33.6K Data? Fax/ Voice * Microsoft PD/2 Mouse w/ pad © PC] 1Mb Video Card » Windows 95 installed with maunal and « 8X CD ROM Drive w/ Sound Blaster sound card & speakers « Microsoft Home Bundie-Works, Money, like shoe makers or wheel- wrighis,” he says. "A value- added purchase is a chance to. support those who are keeping crafis and trades alive," says Bosch, Leading sponsors for the forum-are; Central Interior “Wood Processors Associa- lion, working in- participa- tion with the Cariboo Lum- ber Manufactures Associa- tion; Forest Renewal BC; Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture; Hu- man ‘Resources Develop- ment Canada; Royal Bank; Slocan Group; Vanderhoof Specialty Wood Praducts; Dexto Wood Ltd; School District #217. and -many major companies in the forest sector. At the 1997 Touch Wood Forum-in Williams Lake woodcrafter, students, in- dustry and the general pub- lic will once again have the apportunity to learn about the The forum and woodcrafters exhibition and trade show is May 8-10, 1997. Informa- tion is available from the Northern Wood Forum, #3110 - 172 North 2nd Ave, Williams Lake, V2G IZG. value-added market. 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