Each year, nationally and internationally known woodturners come to Alaska to demonstrate at our symposium and teach classes. You do not have to be an experienced turner to gain education, tips, and skill building techniques from this event, nor do you have to be a member of our Association to enjoy this educational experience. The following turners have made the long trip to Alaska to participate in previous years symposiums and some have allowed us to post videos of their symposium demonstrations in the Members Only section of our website.

Please Join AWA to view these videos, and visit the websites of these guest turners:

Alaska Woodturners Symposium

2026 Symposium Shirts

Shirts will be available again for 2026 Symposium. We have both Long Sleeve and Short Sleeve Shirts Available. From Sizes Small – XXL, Order Now by Clicking Below:

Long Sleeve Shirts S-XL Long Sleeve XXL Shirt Long Sleeve XXXL Shirt

Short Sleeve S-XL Shirt Short Sleeve XXL Shirt Short Sleeve XXXL Shirt

2026 Symposium Ticket Options

2 Day Members Tickets $100

2 Day Non-Members Tickets $120

1 Day Members Tickets $50.

1 Day Non-Members Tickets $60.

1 Day Student (Under 18) Tickets $10

Note: Price includes lunch and a ticket for some nice door prizes

Note: Above prices good until midnight March 31^st, 2026. (On April 1^st price increases by $10 per day)

Note: One free one-day symposium ticket is included with each symposium class purchased.

2 Day Member Ticket 2 Day Non-Member

1 Day Member 1 Day Non-Member 1 Day Student (Under 18)

2026 Featured Turners

Elizabeth Weber from Seattle, WA & Eric Lofstrom from Seattle, WA area

Symposium Classes

Three, 2-day classes will be available following the 2026 Symposium. Cost for each 2-day class is $300 ***Note: (must be a member of AWA to take these classes).

***Note: There will not be any symposium classes prior to the Symposium for 2026

The classes will be held at Glass Sash and Door Supply 500 E. Ship Creek Ave.

For Eric Lofstrom Classes

First 2-day symposium class titled Turning a Square-Rim Bowl is scheduled for Monday, May 4th and Tuesday, May 5th, 2026. In this class you will have plenty of time and opportunity to turn several square-rim bowls. Eric will show you his no sanding approach to creating a crisp rippled surface.

Second 2-day symposium class titled Skew Skills; Making the Cuts is scheduled for Wednesday, May 6th and Thursday, May 7th, 2026. In this session, you learn basic spindle turning with the skew, simple sharpening techniques used to create a razor edge & methods to obtain an ultra-clean cut. This session will showcase skill-building projects that will expand your success with ALL cutting tools.

Third 2-day symposium class titled Turning an Artistic End Grain Bowl is scheduled for Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th, 2026. In this session, you will learn many of the techniques that Eric uses to create artistic, yet functional bowls using small end grain pieces of wood. Emphasis will be on tool control, techniques specific to turning end grain and discussion of form. You will also explore multiple elegant coloring & texturing embellishments that you can add to any of your projects.

***Note: A free one-day symposium ticket is included with each symposium class purchased.

May 4th and 5th Class May 6th and 7th Class: SOLD OUT May 8th and 9th Class

AWA Symposium is scheduled for May 2^nd and 3^rd,2026. Starting and ending times are at 8:15 am – 5 pm on Saturday the 2^nd and 8:30 am – 3:30 pm on Sunday the 3^rd.

Guest Demonstrators:

Elizabeth Weber from Seattle, WA. Elizabeth has a one woman shop in the Seattle, WA area called Icosa Woodworks. She is well known in the woodturning community for her bowls and carved art. Elizabeth has always loved wooden objects, and she always looks for ways to add vibrancy and movement to the things she creates. She likes to use color and shapes in all her products, which includes bowls, boxes, and spoons. The name Icosa comes from icosahedron, a twenty-sided polyhedron that is used in Plato’s philosophy to represent water. With her background being tied to water resources, Icosa ties into a lot of what she loves: math and water. You can follow her for updates and current projects on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/icosa_woodworks/

Eric Lofstrom from Seattle, WA area. Eric’s earliest memories of creating with wood are in Grandpa’s dirt floor, basement workshop; he had a special place at the bench, right next to the scrap bin. Eric grew up around woodworking but had never learned about a tool called the lathe until the first weekend in October of 2001, while attending a free demo at a woodworking store in Sumner, WA. It was here that his woodworking trajectory changed and the woodturning adventures began. A demonstration on turning pens and letter openers was all it took to hook his curiosity. Creating shavings on a lathe consumed Eric’s thoughts for the next few weeks as he wrapped his brain around how a finished piece could emerge from rough materials so quickly! After hearing all the details (several times), Eric’s wife pursued this spark of excitement and set his woodturning journey in motion with a mini lathe and tool set for Christmas. Years later, Eric’s wood-turning enthusiasm continues to grow. You can see some of Erics work on his website (click on Eric Lofstrom for the link) Eric Lofstrom Eric will also be providing three 2-day classes for AWA members Monday, May 4^th thru Saturday, May 9^th, 2026.

Will also include two local AWA turners TBD.

Elizabeth Weber Symposium Demos;

Carving a Wave/Leaf Motif – I will share the story behind this piece. We’ll explore how to interpret natural elements and incorporate those motifs into your turned objects. I’ll walk you through the tools, tips, and techniques for creating these designs, including layout strategies and methods. We’ll cover the use of rotary carvers and wood burners for surface embellishment. Finally, we’ll look at different ways to bring color into your work using milk paint and explore the finishing options available to complete and protect your piece.
Exploring Colors and Textures – This demonstration will cover techniques for adding texture and carving to any turned piece. We’ll explore where to find inspiration, the value of using storyboards in your design process, and various work holding methods to support your carving. You’ll learn how to use both power tools and hand tools effectively to create carved and textured surfaces that enhance your work. In addition, we’ll briefly cover methods for adding color, such as milk paint and acrylics, as well as finishing options depending on the effect you want to achieve in your final piece.
Turning and Embellishing Boxes – In this demonstration, I’ll show you how I start with green wood to rough turn end grain box blanks, including how I dry them. I’ll walk you through my process for turning a finished box that’s ready for embellishment, focusing on important details like thickness, lid fit, and grain orientation. I’ll also share how I lay out my designs and the tools I use for carving and adding texture to each piece.
Turning and Embellishing a Platter – In this demonstration, I’ll show how to turn a platter featuring a graceful ogee profile. We’ll discuss the importance of form and how to achieve a clean, elegant, ogee shape using your tools effectively. The rim offers a canvas for creative exploration, where I’ll create a scale-like texture using carving, texturing, and painting to enhance the artistic impact of the piece.
Turning a Bowl with an Undercut Rim – Turning a bowl is a fast, fun, and rewarding way to make use of wood. In this demonstration, I’ll cover the process from log to finished bowl, including how to anticipate wood movement and orient the blank to highlight that natural character. The bowl will feature a sharp undercut rim, offering a great opportunity to introduce hollowing techniques. I’ll also highlight the importance of using sharp tools to achieve a clean, refined surface.
Carving a Spoon – Bowls and spoons pair beautifully. Learn to carve your own spoon and welcome handcrafted objects into your daily life. This demonstration will guide you through sourcing wood and preparing spoon carving blanks. You’ll see a spoon emerge using traditional tools such as spokeshaves, gouges, and carving knives to shape your own spoon. I’ll also explore finishing techniques to bring out the best in your handmade piece

Eric Lofstrom Symposium Demos;

Skew Skills: “Making the Cuts!” – In this session, you learn basic spindle turning with the skew, simple sharpening techniques used to create a razor’s edge & methods to obtain an ultra-clean cut. You will experience several exercises using biomechanics to increase tool control & gain confidence at the lathe. This session will also showcase skill-building projects; the egg & my version of the fingertip spinning top. The experience of using the skew & the lessons learned during this demo will expand your success with ALL cutting tools!
Turning a Triple-Axis Raindrop: “Resilience” Series – In this session, you will learn the basic techniques I use to turn multi-axis raindrops, exploring the interaction of multiple curves within a single sculptural piece. You will gain a deepened understanding of basic multi- axis turning, how to create flowing curves during intermittent cuts & the importance of biomechanics for ultimate tool control. Time will also be spent exploring embellishment techniques to enhance your sculptural pieces. This session will inspire you to extend your artistic voice through multi-axis turning!
Turning an Artistic End Grain Bowl: “Namaste” Series – In this session, you will learn many of the techniques I use to create artistic, yet functional bowls using small end grain pieces of wood. Emphasis will be on tools control, techniques specific to turning end grain and discussion of form. We will also explore multiple elegant coloring & texturing embellishments I use to add depth & drama to a captivatingly simple form. After this session, you’ll see any small block of plain-grained wood as a potential piece of art!
Turning an End Grain Box: “Breathing” Series – In this session, you will learn the basic skills I use to create functional but artistic boxes using small end grain pieces of wood. In addition to exploring basic spindle & end grain turning techniques, time will be spent on chucking techniques used to mount parts on the lathe for finish turning. Using basic turning tools, the session will be devoted to the stepped progression of turning small end grain boxes while emphasizing tool control, form, & elegant embellishments.
Turning a Square-Rim Bowl: “Resonance” & “Radiance” Series – In this session, you will learn how to turn an artistically inspired bowl with an outward flowing square rim and crisp, echoing textures. Created from a square-corner blank with basic turning tools, this session will showcase the fingernail grind bowl gouge, finishing scrapers, & a no-sanding approach to creating a crisply rippled surface. You will gain techniques to create a flowing form, utilizing the cleanest of tool cutting techniques to eliminate tear-out & minimize sanding. This square-rimmed bowl session is sure to set your mind & imagination resonating with inspiration!
Turning a Gnome: “Character” Series – Using basic spindle turning tools, this session focuses on spindle grain turning to create a small, character-filled gnome. In addition to reviewing basic tool application, attendees will learn techniques used to compose a unique character. This session will showcase what basic tools and simple embellishment techniques allows you to do with a handful of spindle grain wood blanks. Once you learn to turn a gnome, you’ll be able to apply the basics to create unique characters of your own!

FEATURED TURNER:
Elizabeth Weber

Visit Elizabeth ‘s Instagram Page for more information

Elizabeth has a one woman shop in the Seattle, WA area called Icosa Woodworks. She is well known in the woodturning community for her bowls and carved art. Elizabeth has always loved wooden objects, and she always looks for ways to add vibrancy and movement to the things she creates. She likes to use color and shapes in all her products, which includes bowls, boxes, and spoons. The name Icosa comes from icosahedron, a twenty-sided polyhedron that is used in Plato’s philosophy to represent water. With her background being tied to water resources, Icosa ties into a lot of what she loves: math and water. You can follow her for updates and current projects on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/icosa_woodworks/

FEATURED TURNER:
Eric Lofstrom

Visit Eric’s Website for more information

Eric’s earliest memories of creating with wood are in Grandpa’s dirt floor, basement workshop; he had a special place at the bench, right next to the scrap bin. Eric grew up around woodworking but had never learned about a tool called the lathe until the first weekend in October of 2001, while attending a free demo at a woodworking store in Sumner, WA. It was here that his woodworking trajectory changed and the woodturning adventures began. A demonstration on turning pens and letter openers was all it took to hook his curiosity. Creating shavings on a lathe consumed Eric’s thoughts for the next few weeks as he wrapped his brain around how a finished piece could emerge from rough materials so quickly! After hearing all the details (several times), Eric’s wife pursued this spark of excitement and set his woodturning journey in motion with a mini lathe and tool set for Christmas. Years later, Eric’s wood-turning enthusiasm continues to grow. You can see some of Erics work on his website (click on Eric Lofstrom for the link) Eric Lofstrom Eric will also be providing three 2-day classes for AWA members Monday, May 4^th thru Saturday, May 9^th, 2026.

ALASKA TURNER:
Jeff Bool

The roughing process-tips and techniques for smoothing out the ride.

This demonstration will address the “roughing” stage of turning odd shaped chunks of timber using a bowl gouge. Efficient roughing technique minimizes the physical effort and abuse of rounding odd shapes. The demo will compare roughing green versus dry wood, outside and inside of shapes, and the variables at our control. Many of these same fundamentals support the shaping and final surfacing stages that follow the roughing stage.

ALASKA TURNER:
Dave Seifert

Dave will demonstrate how he turns end grain boxes into butter dishes. He will provide the necessary measurements for the two sizes of butter readily available and will show how to turn and finish these relatively easy projects.

Bonnie Klein

Dixie Biggs

Jason Breach