All of the workshops have taken place at Little Sparrow farm but for some of my friends, transporting tools, much less a literal workshop for teaching, is a clear obstacle to participation. In light of this, I have asked a couple of talented artisans and craftspeople if they would be willing to co-host with Little Sparrow a workshop at their physical space.
This has the potential to be an exciting opportunity for many reasons, not the least being able to work and learn, in the space, with a Windsor chairmaker.
Little Sparrow is elated to offer an opportunity to learn from a dear old friend, Elia Bizzarri."Working entirely with hand tools, we'll fell a tree, split it into blanks and shave a simple spatula or butter knife. In the process, we'll talk about wood selection and learn to use hatchets, drawknives, knives and hands. Emphasis will be placed on learning skills to take home, skills that can also be used to make spoons, bowls and other fun things (most people will also leave with a byproduct of their learning: a spatula or butter knife)."
Later this year, Elia has offered to open up his shop on Monday, October 16th. We will begin our workday around 9:00, pause for a delicious lunch and then conclude around 5:00. This is an incredible opportunity and I can’t emphasize enough what a beautiful and gifted human being Elia is. Scott likes to refer to our old friend as a “national treasure.” I kind of think he is.
We recognize this is a Monday, but this enables Elia to keep to his weekly work rhythm, while offering us the privilege of witnessing the beauty and work of his hands and the space that has held and formed his work.
About your Teacher:
Using traditional tools and techniques, Elia Bizzarri rives, hews, shaves, and turns elegant Windsor chairs in his workshop in central North Carolina. Known for the quality and elegance of his turning technique, his chairs reflect an integral understanding of the intrinsic qualities of maple, poplar, hickory, and oak.
“When I was 17, I started an apprenticeship with master chairmaker Curtis Buchanan. I slept on a cot in the loft of his shop, cooked on a portable burner, and walked my dirty dishes through the garden to the basement sink. Ours was a relationship built on trust, not on words or papers. For five years Jonesborough, TN, and more specifically Curtis’s shop, was my part-time home as I learned the chairmaking trade.
Chairs are my passion and my livelihood. Since 2002, I have built Windsor chairs and taught chairmaking full-time. I have never had a ‘real job.’ For this I am thankful.”