The Mastery Program in Woodworking
with Gary Rogowski

Designed for self-directed students with their own shops, this one-on-one study program in fine furniture making focuses on design, joinery, and building skills. Students will design and construct a total of 12 pieces over two years as well as visit the Studio for a series of lectures, demonstrations, and critiques. The goal is to teach people how to design and build furniture of the highest quality.

Building these pieces will give each student a firm grounding in the basics of hand and power tool joinery, carcase construction and frame and panel work. Year one emphasis will be on hand tool skills, router use, carving, and basic construction and joinery skills. Year two will focus on furniture design, effective machine use & maintenance, carving, inlay, bentwood construction, and fine cabinetry including drawer work. Students will develop a signature style of their own while building pieces with the goal of producing gallery quality work after two years.

At the close of this two year period, the Mastery Program is generally followed by an exhibition of Graduates' signature pieces at a relevant location in the Portland area.