Late last year, BARN was asked to create a bench for the Haiku Garden at the Bainbridge Island Public Library. The request was for a piece that would match the aesthetic of the Japanese garden and offer ample seating for those wanting to read or chat.
The BARN woodshop, seeing this as a learning opportunity, decided to make it a class project. Four amateur woodworkers signed up to take a bench-making class for four weeks in January of this year. Now a new handcrafted bench invites visitors to sit a while in the library garden.
Class participant Tim Jewell “thought it was a cool opportunity to do something for the community.” What he didn’t realize is how much he would learn in the process. “It was like a mini-mentorship program.”
Four class participants (Jewell, Richard Ory, Chris Southworth, and Tom Yan) worked closely with four experienced BARN woodworkers – Wayne Chang, Mike Gearheard, Mike Rehder, and Dave Whitacre. They started with a concept submitted by the library. But the desired bench needed to be longer than the original design, so a recalculation of the curves and bracing was needed. Sapele, an African form of mahogany, was chosen as the wood.
“It’s a beautiful bench,” Kip Bankart, co-chair of the library’s Facilities Committee, said. “It’s so comfortable, and the design harmonizes perfectly with the garden.”
“Being part of this project was end-to-end cool,” Jewell said. “I hope there are more opportunities like it in the future.”
A smaller version of the bench, crafted by the class instructors, will be offered during the live auction at Night at BARN on Oct. 4. Until then, it’s on display in the BARN Commons.
Giving back to the community is an important part of BARN’s mission, thanks to the many generous and talented members who enjoy volunteering on projects that make a difference in the Pacific Northwest. BARN partners with local non-profit organizations on a wide variety of projects, from woodworking to knitting to cooking and much more. BARN supplies the expertise, and the partner organizations cover the cost of materials. To request or participate in a community service project contact communityservice@bainbridgebarn.org.
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