Arizona Woodturners Association readies bowl turning demo after 176 wig stands turned in

The Arizona Woodturners Association put a sharp one-two punch on its April calendar: a basic bowl turning demo at its April 18 meeting and, just ahead of it, a club report that 176 wig stands were turned in at the March 21 gathering. That kind of output gives the Phoenix chapter a clear identity, part teaching shop, part service engine, with Paul Porter leading the bowl turning session at 5757 N Central Ave.

The club’s meetings are normally held on the third Saturday of the month, run from about noon to 3:30 p.m., and are open to the public for one free visit before joining. April 18 was listed as an AWA event beginning at 12:00 p.m., and the club noted that parking at the FLC location can be challenging because of sporting events and a farmers market. For anyone planning a visit, that kind of practical detail matters as much as the demo itself.

The wig stand total is the story’s most eye-catching number. AWA says donating wig stands for people dealing with cancer treatment is one of its annual charitable events, and its club projects page places wig stands with the March meeting. A 2024 handout says the stands are packed up and delivered to E-Beauty, which serves cancer patients. The same projects page also ties the club to Empty Bowls as a summer project due at the September meeting and Beads of Courage as an October project, showing that service work is woven into the chapter’s regular rhythm, not treated as an extra.

That service side sits alongside a deep instructional bench. AWA lists demonstrations on hollowing, wand making, basketweave, tool making, spheres, sharpening, ring making, pen making and more, while its resources page points members to more than 24 club demonstration videos, newsletters, a photo gallery with thousands of images, safety tips, links and forums, and the Kundrat Learning Center. The April calendar was crowded too, with Women in Turning on April 1, Maricopa County Fair activities on April 3, 4, 5, 9, 10 and 12, a skill-building series session on April 11 and another on April 25.

AWA’s reach also sits inside a larger national network. The chapter is a proud affiliate of the American Association of Woodturners, which says its 2026 International Woodturning Symposium will bring nearly 100 vendors, more than 85 demos and panels, and over 1,000 pieces in the instant gallery to Saint Paul, Minnesota. Paul Porter’s related-links page also notes that the Arizona Woodturners Association has hosted the Desert Woodturning Roundup, a national symposium held every other year in Arizona, underscoring how central the chapter has become to the wider turning scene.