Back Down East

As part of my goal of building "one of each", I'm going back up to the WoodenBoat School. This time, I'm going back up as a student to learn fill out my skills in building wood and canvas canoes under the guidance of Jerry Stelmok. (Pictured below, holding a salesman's sample)

Jerry is an author, artist, teacher and canoe builder and runs Island Falls Canoe in Atkinson, Maine. Up until recently, I was unaware that he was an artist doing sketches and paintings. He's been teaching people to build canoes at the WoodenBoat School and his own shop for about 20 years or so. Most of the canoes that he builds are based on the E.M. White patterns. They are really stunning canoes. Jerry's work as an author is well-known in wooden canoe circles. His books are considered "bibles" in the wooden canoe world and includes these three titles:

I'm looking forward to another week in Brooklin!