Minnesota Woodturners Association Opens Community Service Exhibition March 21 at Rum River

The Minnesota Woodturners Association brings its community service work into public view this Saturday when the Jan Johansen Gallery at Rum River Art Center opens "Minnesota Woodturners Community Service," an exhibition running March 21 through April 18, 2026.

The opening reception runs 2–4 PM on March 21 and includes live woodturning demonstrations by MWA members, giving visitors a chance to watch the craft in real time alongside the finished pieces on display. The exhibition highlights turnings produced through the chapter's ongoing service initiatives, specifically its work with Beads of Courage, Wig Stands through AAW WIT, and Empty Bowls.

Items will be available for purchase, with all proceeds going to MWA. The association put out a call to members for roughly 50 donated pieces likely to sell in the $15–$50 range, listing tops, stoppers, small plates, bowls, and gnomes as examples of what would fit the show. Those donations were gathered at the January and February chapter meetings ahead of the March 21 opening.

The scale of what MWA produces through its service programs is notable. As the organization describes it: "This organization is committed to action rather than measuring results. Still, we have several three ring binders filled with pictures and thank you notes from the recipients of member generosity." The chapter attributes that volume not to a few prolific contributors but to broad, repeated participation across the membership.

MWA supports member engagement in these programs through quarterly community service turning project classes held at its dedicated classroom inside Houck Machine Company, 12811 16th Avenue N, Plymouth, MN 55441. Those classes, which are free and open to members of all skill levels, focus specifically on AAW WIT Wig Stands and Beads of Courage Boxes. The broader class catalog also covers bowl making, spindle turning, skew chisel technique, and sharpening, taught by both member volunteers and professional woodturners.

The "Minnesota Woodturners Community Service" exhibition at the Jan Johansen Gallery runs through April 18.