The Masters

Invited Artists

The Woodworker's who have entered the show numerous times, and won a certain amount of Awards, will be entering the Masters, or Career Recognition, class. They can still enter the show as Invited Artists and will not be judged.

Bob Butts

Experiencing various cultures and lifestyles is a natural reward when your father is in the Coast Guard and required to travel, frequently, around the world with a growing family. Bob was one of these children of the military whose schooling found him in Athens, Greece, as well as Honolulu, Hawaii. Locally, Bob attended Jefferson Elementary, Kaimuki and Aiea High Schools. He graduated in Florida.
During those childhood years, exposed to things many of us don’t know to even wonder about, Bob became fascinated with locally grown trees and the beautiful wood that came from them. One gentleman in Kalihi kept a scrap bin behind his shop and would smile as Bob the boy would stop by to see what he could find, then find what he would make from the scrap. Bob learned from the gentleman what the woods were and where the trees grew that produced the beautiful colors and grains. By the time he was 15, Bob would turn a bowl or construct a cabinet with the pieces. And, people began requesting the items he’d make.
When he was old enough, Bob joined the Coast Guard so he, like his father, could visit far away places with strange sounding names. During his years of active duty, while stationed at Sand Island, Hawaii, he travelled to various islands in the Pacific, from Yap to Kure Island, and in between. While he would sometimes explore a pool of lobster or boobie-trapped caves, his favorite pastime was exploring new trees.
Bob retired from his Coast Guard excursions in 1988 and has since made his way to having people pay him to do what he loves to do: work with wood to craft bowls and furniture. (He’s really taken it beyond a craft.) He has received numerous awards, recognitions and accolades for his work.
Bob’s work has been displayed nationally as well as locally: The SOFA Show, NICHE, Honolulu Academy of Arts, the Contemporary Museum, HFIA’s Woodshow, Hawaii Craftsmen and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce. The Queen of England was presented with one of his bowls as was Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan. Around the world Bob’s work is displayed in various galleries and lobbies, and held in private collections.

Alan Wilkinson

Born in 1943 in Glendale, California Alan moved to Hawaii in 1963 to attend the University of Hawaii at Manoa. While there, he majored in sculpture and minored in Asian Art History. In 1969, Alan started Wilkinson Koa Furniture. Throughout the years, he has attended seminars given by Sam Maloof, Alan Peters, Ian Kirby, James Krenov, and took part in a three-week intensive learning experience with Art Carpenter in the mid-seventies. Currently, he does commission furniture in a shop in Pearl City, shared with Mako Nitz and Kiyomi Kageyama. He and Roz Young raise six colorful children, all parrots, and are frequent visitors to the Stan Sherrif Arena. Alan is an avid UH sports fan and an excellent gardener. He is an epic story-teller and he throws a mean barbeque. He is a meticulous craftsman and on the top of the list for furniture-makers in the islands. He is also pretty humble!

Frank McClure

Frank McClure was born in Idaho in 1955. Upon moving to the islands in 1969, he quickly adopted a lifestyle built around enjoying the natural resources of the islands. McClure is a self-taught artist which has allowed his work to avoid the constraints of conventional training. His current work uses primarily salvaged material and techniques perfected in the surfboard industry using an array of pwer-carving, grinding, and sanding tools. McClure also fabricates custom tools as special needs dictate which allow for the unique and creative features of his creations.

Tai Lake

Renowned Hawai'i Island fine woodworking artist Tai Lake has been exhibiting at the Woodshow for the past 11 years. Tai designs and builds fine furniture from local hardwoods and manages a koa forest project in Kona. Images of his works have been published nationally and he has received numerous awards. People usually order variations of what they have seen or versions of my previous work, so the Show is a way to introduce new concepts into the realm of possibilities. These new pieces are not always commercially successful on their first outing, however they start conversations that lead to even newer ideas. That's what keeps work fresh and interesting for me.

Robert Holden

Shortly after completing a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Degree from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design (1967), Robert Holden helped a friend build a wooden sixty-foot schooner and therein began his love affair with wood. Although self-taught, Robert has acquired an expansive knowledge of the history, design and creation of wooden art forms including hand carving, sculptural and classical design, and restoration work. Robert has been featured in a variety of national and international publications and has gained notoriety regarding prop design and creation for several television series. His innovation and talent have garnered him numerous state and Mainland awards. His ability to design and create wood pieces that are regional in nature, yet universal in appeal stems from his dedication to keeping the art of hand carved wooden creations alive.

Joel Bright

R.W. "Rollo" Scheurenbrand

My creative process begins when I commit to paper a design in my head, defining body, shape, size, scale length, bracing layouts and aesthetic appointments. Wood selection involves choosing species, considering figure, colors and hues and matching woods for tonal characteristics. When I’m building, I am focused on the details, but not aware of the passing of time. Building custom guitars and ukuleles is not only about working with wood, it is about working with people. Musicians are intimately involved with, and attached to, their instruments. My life has been greatly enriched by the relationships I’ve developed with them. The process is complex, lengthy....and rewarding. Once the instrument is finished, the beauty of the wood comes to life, but it is not until the instrument is played, when its voice is heard, that the full expression of the luthier and the player is evident. This inspires me to build more instruments.