It's all about the Beauty of the Wood!


 

I took the beginning woodworking class offered by BMPRD taught by Maryann Veentjer.  Our project was to construct an Adirondack chair from pieces of 1 x 3 and 1 x 6 pieces of pine lumber!  Maryann showed us how to use the tools/machines in the shop to create the pieces we needed and how to put them together using glue, screws and nails.  What a thrill to make a piece of furniture from pieces of wood!  I enjoyed it so much, I made 3 more chairs, 2 of which I entered into a raffle!  I look forward to taking more classes and learning more advance woodworking techniques.  THANK YOU MARYANN !

Karen

Taking a woodworking class with Maryann as an instructor was great.  It exposes you to all the different types of saws that you would see in a typical wood shop.  It gives you the confidence to safely run the machines and succeed in building your project.  She is also willing to work with you on any project you feel up to tackling.  It was a fun environment and I recommend the class to anyone interested in woodworking.

Molly

Maryann is a great teacher.  She showed students how to get started with power tools as well as help advanced woodworkers attempting more complex projects.  She encouraged the class to work as a team and coordinate machine use. As a result, we rarely waited for a particular tool and were finished cutting ahead of schedule.   I finished one project and was able to get started on a second one.  Later, Maryann helped me finish the second one at her personal workshop. Since both became successful presents for family members, I greatly appreciated the extra attention.  In a beginners woodworking class, it is hard for one teacher to cover nearly a dozen students. But not for Maryann. She answered all of our questions and helped each student on every machine.  I have spread the word about the class and find many friends that would be interested in a class like this.
 
Ana

I took the Parks and Rec. Adirondak Chair Woodworking course in February of 2008. I instantly knew that I liked Maryann Veentjer. Her teaching style was relaxed and comfortable. Her own woodworking expertise, and her enthusiasm for her subject was obvious, and yet she was a calm, patient teacher who never put pressure on any of her students--- even those like me who were not "quick learners." She was more than willing to give assistance when necessary, and was always supportive, and yet never just "took over" so that we, the students could, and did, learn by doing. I was extremely pleased with, and proud of, my completed chair and continue to enjoy showing it off and using it. Though I loved the convenience of the class location, I would not have minded traveling farther---especially if the equipment could have been more reliable. Taking this course was definitely doing something out of my comfort zone and yet Maryann, with her easy-going attitude, made the class fun, and helped me to achieve a certain level of comfort, and even confidence, which is just what I had hoped for. I have recommended the class to other women interested in learning something new and in ending up with a wonderful completed project.

Carol

I took a Woodworking class for Women from Maryann last Fall. We were to build an Adirondack chair. Maryann is a very skilled carpenter and demonstrated the use of all of the power tools as well as safety precautions. She gave each student the attention they asked for. There was definitely enough time and classes to finish our project, but had there been more classes, I would have practiced more on the tools. The location of the class in Bend was good, but if we were located at another site, I would still attend.

Maryann also brought in some of her other projects and talked about different woods and their uses. It’s obvious that she enjoys what she does. Her teaching style is very relaxed and encourages questions. In addition to telling others about this class, I plan to attend more of Maryann’s classes. I would love to see a one day workshop where we finish a small project, to learn different techniques. I’ve learned a lot already and hope to learn more from Maryann in the future.~

Diana

 541-410-3989

 Bend, OR 97701

Women -n- Wood
love the wood