Carving in the Newport Style

Some of the most highly prized furniture by today’s collectors and museums was built in Newport, Rhode Island in the second half of the 18th century. Wealthy families commissioned elegantly proportioned and embellished pieces from the Townsend and Goddard families as well as other skilled Rhode Island craftsmen. There’s a great reward in challenging yourself as a craftsperson and recreating one or more of these iconic works. In this class I will pass on the basic processes and tricks I’ve learned in making nearly 30 Newport pieces over the years. We will cover the hallmark Newport elements: concave and convex shells, ball and claw and bracket feet and the Egyptian-like sparse knee carving seen nowhere else in colonial America. This class is a must for anyone interested in this great regional style. The How to Use Carving Tools and/or Ball and Claw Carving classes would be helpful but not necessary as preparation for this class.