Category Archives: Events

Great Week at Marc Adams School!

June 28, 2016education, Events, Export, newsExportgrossbar

A few spots remain and there is still time to sign up for classes at Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts (July 10-15) and Peters Valley School of Craft (August 19-23)

Fine Writing Instrument Class – good looking group!

Bangle Class students with bracelets – nice Job!

I want to thank all the students who attended my classes from the Fine Writing Instrument and the Bangle Bracelet Class this past weekend. I enjoyed working with all of you and it was really nice to see students of all ages attend!

Everyone enjoyed the class (they told me they did, so I believe them) and we all learned a lot of techniques and tips.

Colleen hard at work on her kaleidoscope

Students at work on their castings.

Showing off their work

Group picture showing off some of their pens (below)

Pen Turning Classes This Summer

February 10, 2016education, Eventsgrossbar

Increase your knowledge of Pen Making this summer in classes with The Pen Teacher Barry Gross. Barry will be teaching pen making for everyone, from beginner to advanced in his three courses this summer. If you are interested in having a week of fun while increasing your skill level, for more detailed information, please contact the schools listed below – classes are filling up fast and a few spaces are still available!

Turning Fine Writing Instruments…

Marc Adams School Of Woodworking, Indianapolis IN. – June 13-17, 2016 http://www.marcadams.com

Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN – July 10-15, 2016 http://www.arrowmont.org

Peters Valley School of Crafts, Layton, New Jersey – August 18-23, 2016 http://www.petersvalley.org

One Other Class … Combining Wood & Metal – Making A Bangle Bracelet – Weekend Course at Marc Adams School of Woodworking June 18 & 19, 2016

See You there and let’s make some dust! – Barry

Next Generation Pen Maker!!

February 1, 2016Events, Export, newsExportgrossbar

One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching pen making is when young people want to learn how to make a pen. Last weekend in New England, I had the pleasure of working with a very nice young lady, Danielle, who wanted to start her own pen making business. Her father was 100% behind her idea (that is who took the picture) and this is Danielle’s first pen!
Her dad was the investor who made sure she had all the tools to properly, and safely, make her pens.
Just think about what a young person, or anyone, can do with a micro business like this.
The start-up costs are fairly small. An ambitious person could pay off the equipment, and start turning a profit, within a couple of months. Students can let their friends and family know about their business in person, and all of their social media friends can follow along when they post photos of their pens for sale. It’s a great opportunity for a young person to own their own business, have flexible time, and make more than just working in a fast food place.
And they would certainly have their teacher’s gifts covered!

Her First Pen!

Woodworking Show Schedule 2016 – Updated

January 1, 2016Eventsgrossbar

We are diligently preparing for the upcoming Woodworking Show season and this year we are traveling to 13 different cities for the winter schedule. We have new and exciting products and pen kits from Taiwan and as always I will be demonstrating the latest for pen making and finishing! Come join us – Lenora & I look forward to seeing all our friends.

Barry Demonstrates at the Sacramento Woodworking show

Barry Demonstrating at The Woodworking Show

Woodworking Show Seminar Schedule – January thru April 2016

Show marked with ** have been updated

January 8,9 & 10, 2016 – Baltimore – Maryland State Fair Grounds -Cow Palace, Timonium, MD
January 15, 16 & 17, 2016 – Indianapolis – Indiana State Fairgounds, Indianapolis, IN
January 22,23 &24, 2016 – New England – Eastern State Exposition – West Springfield, MA
January 29, 30 &31, 2016 – Columbus – Ohio Expo Center, Columbus, OH

February 5,6 & 7, 2016 – Chantilly, VA – Dulles Expo, 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center**
February 12, 13 & 14, 2016 – St. Louis – Gateway Center Hall, Collinsville, IL**
February 19, 20 & 21 – Somerset – Garden State Exhibition Center, Somerset, NJ
February 26, 27 & 28 – Houston – Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, TX

March 4, 5 & 6, 2016 – St. Paul – Minnesota State Fair Ground, St. Paul, MN.
March 11, 12 & 13, 2016 – Milwaukee – Wisconsin Expo Center, West Allis, WI.
March 18, 19 & 20, 2016 – Tampa – Florida State Fair Entertainment Hall, Tampa, FL.

April 1, 2 & 3, 2016 Atlanta – North Atlanta Trade Center, Norcross, GA.
April 8, 9, & 10, 2016 – Kansas City – KCI Expo Center – Kansas City, MO.

Friday:
12:30 Creating a pen from A to Z
2:00 Finishing your pens
3:30 Casting Your Own Pen Blanks
Saturday:
11:00 AM Creating a pen from A to Z
1:00 PM Finishing your pens
3:30 PM Casting Your Own Pen Blanks
Sunday:
11:00 AM Creating a pen from A to Z
1:00 PM Finishing your pens
2:00 PM Casting Your Own Pen Blanks

Happy New Year!

January 1, 2016Events, newsgrossbar

Happy New Year, From Our Family to Yours!

Happy New Year from Cole, Lenora, Barry & Michael

We want to wish all of our friends and customers a VERY Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year for 2016!

We’ve been working like crazy to get our booth, supplies & products ready for the show season. Lots of late nights in the shop & warehouse, including last night, New Year’s Eve. The freight company comes on Monday to get the massive boxes that contain our booth, and it all has to be packaged up by then. We think we’re ready, but then we always think that, even if it isn’t true. This includes the fiasco last year when I forgot my demonstration kit, including all my tools and sample pieces. I usually follow Santa’s rule of thumb – make a list, and check it twice, but stuff still happens. Anyway, we’re looking forward to seeing everyone who shows up at the shows this year. The first show is next weekend in Baltimore:
January 8, 9 & 10, 2016 – Baltimore – Maryland State Fair Grounds -Cow Palace, Timonium, MD
The Woodworking Shows – January thru April 2016

The complete schedule for 2016 is here: The Woodworking Shows Schedule 2016

Tax or not to Tax?

October 19, 2015Events, Marketing, tips & tricksgrossbar

A question I get asked a lot is “Do I have to collect sales tax at every craft show I attend?”

The answer is YES!

Every state where I attend an art or craft show requires that I collect sales tax, and then pay the tax to the state. Each state has it’s own rules, some require that you get a sales tax number to collect the tax, and others simply send you a form and you report how much gross sales you had, and then you pay the appropriate sales tax. If a particular state requires that you get a sales tax number, they may require you to file quarterly or semi-annual sales reports, even if you did not have any sales for that particular time period. This can be a daunting task especially if you do a lot of shows in many different states. If you have any questions about this, check with the promoter of the show, and they will be able to answer your questions about collecting taxes. Many promoters give the attendees names to the state so they can make sure that taxes are being collected!

It is not worth the fine if you get caught, so do the right thing and collect the tax and pay it!

Washington DC Pen Show

August 20, 2015Events, ExportExportgrossbar

Pen Display

The Washington DC Pen Show has come and gone and this years show was one of the best. It was well attended in spite of being one week later than it normally is held. All the vendors said it was one of their best shows of the year. Sales were good on Friday but Saturday was very busy all day long and Sunday was the usual day, not too busy but still sold some pens.

Steady Saturday Traffic

Friday PM – DC Pen Show

A $32,000 Pen!

Maki-e Painted Pen

The Sailor Pen Co. was next to me and let me hold one of their signature Maki-e hand painted pens. This pen sells for $32,000!

The detail work on this pen is incredible – I tried to put it into my pocket but it did not fit so I gave it back to them!

So, now I am now back in the warehouse helping with orders and restocking the shelves and adding new items for sale. Stay tuned for a list of the new items….

Happy Turning – Barry

Rambling & Scrambling Man

June 30, 2015Events, ExportExportgrossbar

When I return after this 4th of July weekend from the Berkshire Arts Festival in Great Barrington, MA, I will have been on the road 17 of 22 days, logging over 2,500 miles. I taught two different classes at Marc Adams School of Woodworking and completed 3 rotations teaching the future pen makers of tomorrow at the AAW. Don’t get me wrong I am not complaining, I love doing what I do, so please, if you have tried to reach me these past few weeks you know what I have been up to!

Barry demonstrating pen turning

It was a lot of fun seeing the expression on the kids’ faces when they completed their first pen or kaleidoscope this past weekend at the AAW. It was also great to see a lot of “ole” friends there as well.

Well, I have to make some pens before I can go to the show this weekend so I am off to the shop to make some dust…

Future Penmakers of America at AAW

Barry’s teaching Fine Writing Instruments at Marc Adams School of Woodworking

June 10, 2015education, Events, ExportExportgrossbar

Barry Gross, owner of Arizona Silhouette, will make you feel at home in this pen turning course, even if you have never made a pen before! Students from basic to advanced are welcome to learn an assortment of techniques to take their pen making to the next level. Thinking creatively, the key to enhance your pen making abilities, will be discussed throughout the course. Students will work with a variety of materials including, but not limited to, exotic wood, stabilized wood, biologicals and acrylics. Students will learn how to cast their own clear acrylic pen blanks (without a pressure pot!) which will open their mind to a wide range of creative ideas. Segmented pens, closed end pens and laser-cut kits will be made. Many different finishing techniques will be stressed throughout the course including a very easy Super Glue finish. By the end of the week, each student will have made a minimum of eight different pens with emphasis on quality of fit and finish. After finishing the pen masterpieces, Barry will discuss the best way to market one-of-a-kind works of art!

Key Points:

Achieve a perfect finish on pens
Work with stabilized and non-stabilized material
Learn how to cast your own clear acrylic pen blanks
Learn the best way to work with acrylics and other materials
Gain a working knowledge of segmented pens
Adjust a fountain pen nib with proper alignment of tines

Class of 2014

It Can Happen To Anyone!

May 19, 2015education, Eventsgrossbar

Paradise City Arts Festival is coming up this Memorial Day Weekend in Northampton, MA. As usual, I am scrambling to get things finished. This past weekend was a crazy busy weekend with all the “honey do’s”, taking care of the lawn, and I had to squeeze in making a few last minute pens (14 of them) and (7) pepper grinders. (The photo is only showing 3 of them.)

Pens & Pepper Grinders for Show

As I was turning one of the casted abalone shell pen blanks, I chipped out one of the ends. I lost my concentration and “ding” it went! I looked for the little chipped out piece for about 20 minutes, cursing all the time “how stupid and dumb” I was for letting it happen. But then I remembered what someone once told me, “it can happen to anyone”. Even the best of turners have a lapse of concentration, and can blow up a project. So I took a deep breath and a few seconds later I found my little chipped out piece.

Now, what to do with the chip?

I used medium CA glue and glued it back in, and then for good measure added, some more medium CA glue around the entire chipped out piece. I put it back on the lathe and this time paying attention, finished it without any further issues. Once it was all done and polished, I put the repaired section underneath the clip, and you can see the results for yourself – no one will ever know – please don’t tell anyone about this, especially at the Paradise City Arts Festival!