Furniture Design & Woodworking
Code: W0505-22
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Open to All
Students of any skill and knowledge level.
Everything In Its Right Place: Containing Our Beloved Objects
Jul 4 - 8, 2022
9AM-5PM
Concept
We all hold certain objects dear for one reason or another; in creating a purpose-built home for them, we elevate the object to a higher level.This course explores box-making techniques in creating a custom home for a personal object. Demonstrations cover technical processes from milling and material preparation to splined miter joinery and floating panel construction. Students come prepared with one or two important objects and create a home for them, responding to both the items’ innate physical properties and the stories that are inextricably linked to those objects. Participants discuss these stories and design with them in mind as they create a protective reliquary.
Media & Techniques
Milling and material preparation, machine-made joinery including splined and keyed miters, sanding, finishing, design as a response to story and object
Supply ListFaculty
Adam Manley
Adam John Manley is the Associate Professor of Furniture Design & Woodworking at San Diego State University. His work has been exhibited nationally, including solo exhibitions at the Indianapolis Art Institute, Space Gallery in Portland, and The Kipp Gallery at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Adam’s work addresses social issues such as violence and inequality, as well as the human relationship to place, all through the language of familiar functional objects.
Adam John Manley, Traveling Teaching Kit
Join Waitlist for Everything In Its Right Place: Containing Our Beloved Objects
Thank you for your interest in the waitlist. When space in a workshop or program becomes available, registration will open on the website. Everyone on the waitlist will be emailed to alert them of the opening. This ensures that everyone has an equal opportunity to register for the workshop or program.
Furniture Design & Woodworking
The Furniture Design & Woodworking program at Anderson Ranch draws upon the world of studio furniture, but pushes the boundaries of woodworking by mixing contemporary and traditional techniques and incorporating alternative materials. Anderson Ranch offers an inspiring range of workshops for all levels in topics such as cabinetry, wood bending, kinetics and carving.
The Maloof Wood Barn, divided into a machine room, assembly room, and bench room, provides participants the ideal workshop for realizing technical and creative goals. The machine room houses stationary equipment including SawStop table saws, jointers, planers, bandsaws, drill presses, edge sander, disk sander, drum sander, spindle sander, radial arm saw, chop saw, router table and multi-router. In the assembly and bench rooms, a library of clamps, hand tools, and hand-held power tools line the walls for student use to complete their woodworking projects.
The Furniture Society and Anderson Ranch are partnering this year to offer a scholarship for one BIPOC applicant to attend a workshop for the 2025 summer season. This opportunity includes tuition for a one-week workshop, room and board for a Furniture Design and Wood workshop, and a 1‑year membership to The Furniture Society. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
Anderson Ranch is happy to extend a tuition discount* in summer one- or two-week adult furniture design and woodworking workshops** for Furniture Society members at the student membership level or above. Please email reg@
Workshop Details
Workshop Supplies
For general information about studio access, shipping, and more, please visit our info page.
If you have any questions regarding your supplies for your workshop, please contact Lane Preston, [email protected].
Lodging & Meals
Housing is limited and includes shared and private lodging options. Reservations will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. The earlier you reserve housing, the better your chance of receiving your preferred option. Please note: Workshop costs do not include accommodations.
NEW: Tuition includes a welcome dinner and lunches. In our effort to foster a stronger sense of community and accessibility at Anderson Ranch, we include the welcome dinner and all lunches as part of the tuition for summer workshop students. Our hope is that this adjustment will encourage all students to come together to share meals and engage in meaningful conversations. The Ranch Café Meal Plan, which is included with Room and Board fees, strives to provide healthy, creative meals that will nourish your artistic creativity. Learn more.
We have established a Business Safety Plan with added layers of precaution that prioritize the health and safety of our staff, students, faculty and guests while continuing to provide you with the Anderson Ranch experience that you know and enjoy.
Scholarships, College Credit & Discounts
Making Art Accessible
Applications for scholarship support are encouraged. Specific scholarships are funded by Ranch supporters, either through endowed funds or special gifts.
Many colleges and universities offer college credit for workshops taken at Anderson Ranch. Discounts are available for students and teachers.
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