When it all began, 2007
The Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild began planning to hold this mixed-media collaborative event in 2007. Conceived as a weekend activity attended primarily by woodturners, Frogwood has since evolved into a five day event that draws participants who work in a wide variety of media and techniques from around the world every year. Interest in participation now exceeds the capacity of the facility where the event takes place, making it necessary to limit registration to 30 artists. Our belief in the benefits of intensively creative experiences for artists drives our plan to establish Frogwood as a premier event in the regional and international art scene.
Our first collaboration, called “Exploring Art and Woodturning”, was held at Dale Larson’s shop in Gresham, Oregon, on August 9 and 10, 2008. Here is an excerpt from the original announcement on our website.
The Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild is hosting an innovative and, we hope, exciting, event called “Exploring Art and Woodturning.” The goal of this event is somewhat unusual: it is directed towards woodturners who are struggling to find their artistic voice, or are stuck in a rut in terms of what they create, and those who perhaps have not even thought about or explored the artistic possibilities that lie in front of them.
Our Next Step Into The Future
Frogwood 2025 - The Frogwood board of directors continues its commitment to increasing the scope of the event with the addition of media and methods we have not had in previous years.
the 2023 event information gives potential participants an idea of what’s involved ▸
Newly built dining hall, Camp Colton, 2017
Woodturners Dale Larson and David Williams inspecting a large bowl.
We invited two well-known Northwest woodturners who had experience with other collaborations to be guides and mentors. We also supplied a wide variety of materials in addition to wood, to spur creativity and encourage exploration of new media.
The results of a survey filled out by many of the participants indicated we had a viable concept and identified those areas which could be tweaked to improve the next one.
So in 2009, we did it again, only better. The event was expanded to three full days, August 7-9, with an orientation meeting on Thursday evening, August 6, in Portland. And we invited selected local artists in other media to join us.
The website announcement of the second “Exploring Art and Woodturning” read in part:
The Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild will be sponsoring the 2nd annual Exploring Art & Woodturning. This 3-day collaboration event is geared to woodturners with solid skills and a good sense of design who are ready to explore new avenues of artistic expression by sharing their vision and their efforts with others who work in a different style or medium. This year’s focus will be on the fusion of woodturning and metalworking and will be led by woodturner Christian Burchard and metalsmith Greg Wilbur.
As a way to encourage collaboration between attendees and across media, we introduced a theme project, “A Workingman’s Chalice”. Teams made a selection from a list of occupations and were encouraged to interpret it in any manner they wished to create an object in some way resembling a chalice. Prepped wood blanks of appropriate size were made available as the foundation. In addition to this focal object, attendees were welcome to work on anything else they wished with whomever they wanted.
The 2010 EAW event was held August 12-15, and once again we used the concept of a chalice as a focal theme. Our guest woodturner this time was Don Derry, who participated enthusiastically as a collaborator as well as a mentor who encouraged us to push our creativity into new directions and beyond our previous comfort zones.
Greg Wilbur works a copper piece.
Other attendees of note were metalsmith Greg Wilbur, and woodturners Bonnie Klein and Gorst du Plessis, who demonstrated the use of a Rose Engine. Media represented included blacksmithing, coppersmithing, and fabric arts, as well as woodturning.
In addition to working on a theme project, all attendees were encouraged to try out any of the other media available, and those artists were quite happy to demonstrate and coach others in their specialties. This broadening of skills and interests is one of the primary reasons the Guild began hosting these collaborative events, and it has continued to be an important part of the event.
Oregon Art Beat filmed the 2010 event for their Collaborative Art episode, which aired on May 30, 2012:
Oregon Art Beat featured Frogwood in their Collaborative Art episode, which aired 5/30/2012. Season 13, Episode 27 (1327). The full Collaborative Art episode is available here: https://www.pbs.org/video/oregon-art-beat-may-31-2012/
Renamed “Frogwood” in 2011, the event’s participation had grown from a handful of local artists to over 35 artists drawn from all over the world. Between 2015 and 2018, the Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild commenced and completed the transition of Frogwood from a self-contained entity, operating under the auspices of the Guild organization, to a fully independent 501(c)(3) Public Charitable Non-profit Arts Education Organization.
Frogwood 2015
About 25 artists gathered for a week at Dale Larson’s place in Gresham for Frogwood 2015. Many camped on-site, while others drove in from Portland and the surrounding area each morning. With an interest in expanding the fiber reprentation, Joan Carrigan was invited as a special guest artist, along with Janet Ronacher, Judy Zugish. Future board members Carol Horvath, Kristy Kun and Julie Johnson were all invited for the first time to this event. A silent on-site auction featuring most of the work was held at Dale’s at the end of the week. Several of the larger, more significant pieces were held back for a month-long show at the Multnomah Arts Center, where the artwork was sold through a silent auction.
Frogwood 2016
Held again at Dale Larson’s in Gresham, about 30 artists participated in 2016. Graeme Priddle and Melissa Engler were special guest artists and they brought a lot of fresh energy to the collab. The artwork created was installed at the Mt. Hood Community College Visual Arts Center Gallery in Gresham for a well-attended and lively silent auction show that was open to the public. 2016 was Neal Fegan’s first Frogwood and he helped facilitate the board’s 2017 exploration of Camp Colton as a possible venue.
The Frogwood 2016 artists at Dale Larsen’s place in Gresham, with photographers Lee Mahoney and Cydney Gordon.
Frogwood 2017 - A Trial Run for Camp Colton
Frogwood 2017 board members and participants, with Camp Colton owners Shir and Laurence Grisanti.
After finding this new venue for Frogwood, the board of directors made a decision to run at half capacity for 2017. Camp Colton had been under renovation for almost a year, with many projects on schedule but not yet complete. We went with 17 participants so we could learn about the site, how to use it efficiently, and work within owners Shir and Laurence Grisanti’s vision for their inspiring 85 acres. We confirmed that Camp Colton’s shop space, managed by Neal Fegan, would work well and discovered that its sylvan setting was a wonderful place for creative inspiration. We were hooked!
Frogwood 2018 – Up and Running at Camp Colton
Board members Owen Lowe, David Williams, Carol Horvath, Kristy Kun, Michael de Forest, Greg Wilbur, Tom Willing and Mike Free made the 2018 event a fantastic success at Camp Colton.
Between Frogwood 2017 and Frogwood 2018, the owners’ dream of making Camp Colton into a venue for weddings and retreats took ongoing form with completion of a full-function catering kitchen and restoration of a large pond to allow swimming to return to the camp’s list of activities. More workspace came on-line with addition of a 16’ concrete apron around the shop building. The Frogwood board decided to bring in 35 participants for 2018, the same number we had in 2016. We significantly upgraded the meal plan, going from a lot of pizza and take-out sandwiches to a full-on catered three-squares a day prepared by Nick Cupell and Phil Cason. It worked. Really well. The artists began begging to return in 2019 before they had even packed to go home from 2018.
2018 Frogwood artists and photographers Lee Mahoney and Cydney Gordon at Camp Colton.
Frogwood 2019 - Camp Colton
2019 was another amazing collab held at beautiful Camp Colton with about 30 participants. Creating, living, and eating on-site helped foster a wonderful sense of community during the art-making experience. Fueled again by incredible meals, morning, noon and night, the creative energy ran high. The art created during this event was divided into two auctions - one set was sold during a live auction at Camp Colton, while the other set was divided between both a silent and live auction in downtown Portland. The live auction, hosted by Steve Talbot, was an event to remember!
Frogwood 2019 artists, photographers and chefs.
Distance Collab 2020
2020 brought artists many challenges, among them the need to socially distance because of Covid, which didn’t allow for our traditional in-person event. Frogwood experimented with distance collaboration by connecting artists through the digital realm and using old-fashioned snail mail. Approximately 30 art pieces were created by a geographically diverse art community. A silent auction was held in October and all proceeds were earmarked for scholarships to young and new artists to attend future in-person Frogwood events.
Frogwood 2021
Due to Covid uncertainties, Frogwood 2021 temporarily moved back to Dale Larson’s place. A smaller group of invited artists – about 30 – were as creative and inspiring as past Frogwoods. We also moved the dates a few weeks earlier to be less conflicting with the start of the Fall show season and its preparations. Another big change was the decision to move Frogwood to a biennial experience. The last change for Frogwood 2021 was the move to an online auction only. Covid scuttled the traditional in-person live auction but we had great success raising almost $9,000 for scholarships and art grants.
Distance Collab 2022
Distance Collab 2022 was held in May-July 2022. Led again by Marjin Wall, this event included about 35 artists who connected virtually and mailed their pieces to each other. The online silent auction in September raised about $7,000 and all proceeds were earmarked for scholarships and grants to help artists attend future in-person Frogwood events.
Frogwood 2023
The 2023 collab took place in the beautiful woodland setting at Camp Colton, May 21-27. Please visit our participants page to learn more about the amazing talent that came together to create for a week. With so much skill gathered in one place, spectacular artwork materialized on a daily basis. A huge thank you to the artists who donated their time, materials, equipment and skills to make this such a wonderfully successful event - it couldn’t happen without you!
In addition, our heartfelt thanks goes to Shir and Laurence Grisanti, Dana Chamberlin, Kristin Shiga, and Neal Fegan for welcoming us to Camp Colton; to photographers Lee Mahoney, Cydney Gordon, Dan Kvitka and Winona Hwang for donating their time and expertise to documenting the event and art; and we are especially appreciative of Nick Cupell and Phil Cason for the fabulous meals they planned and prepared to keep us going all week!
The artwork created was divided into two sets. The first set of about 80 pieces was sold at a live auction on May 26 in the gorgeous Camp Colton setting. Everyone who joined us enjoyed a wonderful evening of art, community, and zealous bidding. The second set of art (about 50 pieces) was sold in an online auction June 4-11, 2023. This highly competetive BetterWorld auction was a great success, as well. Between the two auctions, we were able to raise over $23,000! 100% of auction proceeds go towards art grants, scholarships and future Frogwood events. Thank you to everyone who participated - your support helps make Frogwood possible.
Frogwood 2023 artists with chefs Nick Cupell and Phil Cason and photographers Lee Mahoney and Cydney Gordon. Photo courtesy of Winona Hwang.
Distance Collab 2024
Distance Collab 2024 was held in May-July 2022. Led by Julie Johnson and Marjin Wall, this event included about 32 artists who connected virtually and mailed work to each other. Marjin Wall led the linocut/print project, with 36 participants. Julie Johnson made the paper and Rory Sparks made the prints. The online silent auction, held for a week in September, raised about $5,000 with all proceeds earmarked for scholarships and grants to help artists attend future in-person Frogwood events. Lee Mahoney donated his time to take the artwork photographs.
2024 Strategic Planning Board Meeting
Board members l-r: Tom Willing, Owen Lowe, Marjin Wall, David Williams, Leslie Crist, Mike Free, Rose Covert and Greg Wilbur. Zooming in from Colorado: John Wirth; Ollie; behind the camera: Julie Johnson. Missing: Laura Vincent. Frogwood board’s strategic planning meeting hosted by Tom Willing and facilitated by Leslie Crist, October 27, 2024.