Handwork 2026 at BARN

Join us for Handwork Week:

Intensive Workshops led by Renowned Artists and Makers

Sunday, April 26 – Friday, May 1, 2026

Handwork Week 2026 Workshops

Join BARN as we participate in Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026! The heart of our celebration is Handwork Week, April 26 to May 1, when multiple BARN studios will simultaneously host unique, intensive workshops taught by renowned instructors. Learn more and register below!

Print & Book Arts

Speak Your Piece: Artist’s Books with Meaning

By: Alisa Banks

Writers’ Studio

The Thing Itself: The Story You Want to Tell

By: Jonathan Evison

Tech Lab

Modern Mobiles: Balancing Digital and Hand Craft

By: Brian Gillespie

Metal Fabrication

Handwork in the Foundry: Cast Bronze Bell

By: Jeff Oens, Mario Oblak, Frank Wurden

Glass Arts

Tapestry Through the Looking Glass

By: Richard Parrish

Woodworking & Small Boatbuilding

Make a Salish-Style Cedar Bentwood Box

By: Randi Purser

Writers’ Studio

Portals of the Poetic Self: Writing Through the Five Senses

By: Ricardo Ruiz

Fiber Arts

Weaving Nature: Seasonal Plants for Basketmaking

By: Melinda West

Jewelry & Fine Metals

Dimensional Layering with Clasp Combinations

By: Suzanne Williams

Drawing & Painting Studio

Curious and Fearless: Sketching the Story

By: Daniel Winterbottom

Handwork Week 2026 Instructors

Alisa Banks

Print & Book Arts Studio

Jonathan Evison

Writers’ Studio

Brian Gillespie

Tech Lab

Jeff Oens

Metal Fabrication Studio

Richard Parrish

Glass Arts Studio

Photo by Sue Larkin

Randi Purser

Woodworking & Small Boatbuilding Studio

Ricardo Ruiz

Writers’ Studio

Melinda West

Fiber Arts Studio

Suzanne Williams

Jewelry & Fine Metals Studio

Daniel Winterbottom

Drawing & Painting Studio

Inside Handwork Week

HANDWORK: Finding Your Story with Jonathan Evison

Classes/Events, Handwork Week, Writers

HANDWORK: Finding Your Story with Jonathan Evison

Jonathan Evison knows what it's like to fail. The Bainbridge Island novelist wrote seven unpublished books before his breakthrough at age 40. He literally ...Full story »

HANDWORK: Daniel Winterbottom on Sketching the World Anew

Classes/Events, Drawing & Painting, Handwork Week

HANDWORK: Daniel Winterbottom on Sketching the World Anew

When University of Washington landscape architecture professor Daniel Winterbottom started wandering the streets of Seattle during the pandemic lockdown, sketchbook in hand, he wasn't ...Full story »

HANDWORK: Brian Gillespie Brings Calder’s Legacy to Life

Classes/Events, Handwork Week, Newsletters, Tech Lab

HANDWORK: Brian Gillespie Brings Calder’s Legacy to Life

By day, Brian Gillespie manages the development team for Rhino 3D, the industry-standard modeling software used in aerospace, automotive, and architectural design. But step ...Full story »

HANDWORK: “Root Reading” with Alisa Banks

Classes/Events, Drawing & Painting, Handwork Week

HANDWORK: “Root Reading” with Alisa Banks

Dallas Artist Helps Writers Transform Personal Stories into Sculptural Books At the age of four, Alisa Banks received her first book: a thick volume ...Full story »

HANDWORK: Weaving traditions, stewardship and place with Melinda West

Classes/Events, Fiber Arts, Handwork Week

HANDWORK: Weaving traditions, stewardship and place with Melinda West

Forty years ago, Melinda West sat on a Pacific Northwest beach watching her young sons play. Nearby, someone had discarded a pile of willow ...Full story »

About Handwork 2026

Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026 is a national initiative commemorating the role of craft in American culture. Led by the long-running PBS program “Craft in America” and the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Handwork 2026 presents a unique opportunity to celebrate craft from your local community and beyond!

BARN is thrilled to participate in Handwork 2026 alongside more than 100 other craft organizations nationwide.

Learn More About Handwork 2026

About BARN

BARN (Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network) is a regional center for craft on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Our dedicated volunteers and staff provide fun, welcoming spaces where everyone can explore creativity, learn new skills, work with others, and give back to the community.

BARN operates eleven member-run studios spanning woodworking, glass arts, fiber arts, metal fabrication, culinary arts, jewelry making, and more. Since opening our 25,000-square-foot facility in 2017, we’ve grown to serve over 1,400 members with 2,700+ classes and events annually. BARN’s mission centers on growing and inspiring creative community through craft, learning, and service.

Visit BARN

Plan Your Week

Handwork Week Schedule

This preliminary schedule is subject to change.

Sunday, April 26

2 PM: BARN tour for new students and visitors.
4 PM: Studio-specific orientations (TBD).

Monday, April 27 – Thursday, April 30

9 AM – 12 PM: Classes
12 – 1 PM: Lunch
1 – 4 or 5 PM: Classes
5 or 6 PM – 10 PM: Open Studios (unstructured work time for Handwork students and community).
7 – 9 PM: Community events (TBD).

Friday, May 1

9 AM – 12 PM: Classes
12 – 1 PM: Lunch
1 – 4 PM: Classes
3 PM: Optional item dropoff for Silent Auction participants.
4 – 6 PM: Studio walkthrough, Silent Auction, drinks and appetizers (open to community).
6 – 8 PM: Celebration Dinner (not included in course registration; tickets required).

Dining Options

Class registration does not include catered lunches or tickets to the May 1 Celebration Dinner.

Lunch Options

Join us for lunches catered each day by Fig & Spice! View the menu and purchase lunch tickets here.

If you’d prefer to explore Bainbridge Island during lunch, check out restaurant options.

You are also welcome to bring a packed lunch. BARN’s lower level has a refrigerator and microwave for community use.

Dinner Options

Dinners are on your own during Handwork Week. We hope you’ll join us for our Celebration Dinner on May 1 (purchase tickets here)! During Handwork Week, explore delicious food options a short distance from BARN and across the Agate Pass Bridge in Poulsbo: view restaurant options.

Evening Activities

We’re planning community art events during the evenings of Handwork Week. Stay tuned!

Silent Auction

Handwork Week participants are invited to submit work to our Silent Auction, happening Friday, May 1, at 4:30 PM. Proceeds benefit BARN programs. More details coming soon!

Cancellation Policy

We understand schedules can be unpredictable. Because there is a lot of planning for this event, BARN is implementing a special Handwork 2026 cancellation and refund policy.

Cancellations requested prior to Feb. 13, 2026, will be eligible for a refund of 85% of all class fees.
Cancellations requested between Feb. 13 and March 13, 2026, will be eligible for a refund of 50% of all class fees.
Cancellations requested on March 14, 2026, or later will not be eligible for refunds.
To request a cancellation, click the link in your profile or email registrar@bainbridgebarn.org.
We strongly encourage out-of-town visitors to make refundable reservations.

Tuition Assistance

Tuition assistance is available! We will prioritize Handwork 2026 tuition assistance for local students, who are eligible to apply at any time. Out-of-town applications will be processed after Jan. 1, 2026. Fill out the application before registering.

Accessibility

BARN is committed to accessibility. We try to make accommodations when requested; the earlier you contact us, the more likely we can help. Fill out the Accommodation Request Form before any class for which you require an accommodation. Email accessibility@bainbridgebarn.org if you have any questions.

Sensory Statement: Makerspaces like BARN can be noisy and cluttered, smell strongly, and have bright or flickering lights. BARN is not an allergen-free facility. If you have concerns, please email info@bainbridgebarn.org.

Getting to BARN

Find directions and travel tips on our Visit BARN page.

Become a Sponsor

Support Handwork 2026 at BARN by becoming a sponsor! Be part of something extraordinary happening in our creative community.

We’re seeking sponsors at the $500 level or greater, in the form of monetary support and/or in-kind class materials. As a BARN Handwork 2026 sponsor, your business will receive:

Your logo featured on BARN’s Handwork 2026 event landing page, as well as on the class registration page for the relevant workshop, and in one studio newsletter email.
A shout-out on social media (4600+ Facebook followers, 4900+ Instagram followers, and another 1,000 across LinkedIn and TikTok).
A flyer or promotional item in student welcome materials.

Your support will be acknowledged as a charitable contribution and is tax-deductible to the full extent allowable by law. It’s a meaningful way to connect with a community of engaged makers and supporters while investing in our country’s creative vitality.

To become a sponsor or ask questions, please contact Fran Fuller, Operations Manager, at franfuller@bainbridgebarn.org or 206-842-4475.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to support creativity, craftsmanship, and connection.

Contact BARN Operations Manager Fran Fuller at franf@bainbridgebarn.org for details.