A variety of custom-made wood pieces are currently on display at Southcenter Mall. Some are purpose-built for function, while others are pure art. The Southern Alberta Woodworkers Society (SAWS) is hosting its 2025 Fine Works in Wood Exhibition at the mall’s centre court from Sept. 5 to 14 The society has close to 100 members passionate about working with wood. Merv Manthey, SAWS president, says the exhibition gives members an opportunity to showcase their skills, artistry and pride in the work that has gone on over the past two years. “People are astounded at the quality of the work that is done,” he said. “We would hope, however, that they’re not intimidated by it because we’re trying to bring in more members to our society. We’re very welcoming of all skill levels, so people ought not to feel like they have to build something like they see here. “This is the very apex of the craft. If you’re into birdhouses and bookshelves, it’s a good starting point. Come talk to us; we’d love to hear from you.” The exhibition is a biannual event. That gives woodworkers time to craft their pieces, because they can take months to complete. “The purpose of this show is to engage with the community—to give our members and other woodworkers an opportunity to really showcase what they can do, and one of the big parts is it’s a good recruiting tool for us,” Manthey said. “Very often, the question you’ll get is, ‘How long did it take to make this?’ And invariably, the answer you’ll get back always is, ‘I don’t really keep track—it’s a labour of love.’ “The truth is it could take 100 or 200 hours to build something that looks relatively simple.” The exhibition is free to attend, and some of the pieces at the exhibition are also for sale. “Not all the pieces are for sale, but some are,” Manthey said. “So if you’re interested in something totally unique, by all means come down and have a look, and there’s an easy ordering process online to purchase the products.” Ed Marchand is a SAWS member who enjoys working with his hands. “We don’t do much of that anymore in modern life,” he said. “So when you can get hands-on, it feels good, and wood comes from nature; it’s still one of the pure things that we deal with, so that’s very satisfying.” Marchand doesn’t have any pieces in the exhibition but says he’s constantly learning from those who do. “Woodwork is pretty obvious actually, but how to do it and do it well—that’s what we share with one another,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot. I was a farm kid, and things were pretty rough and ready on the farm, and so when I started to do woodworking, these were mentors for me, and every year is something new for me.” Tom Gorman has spent a lifetime working with wood building cabinets. He’s been a member of SAWS since 1987, four years after it was formed. He’s constantly inspired by his surroundings when thinking up a project, and sometimes that inspiration comes from the wood itself. “I have pieces of wood out there that my mind is going over. ‘Where can I use this, and what other wood could I combine it with?’ So it is always an ongoing process,” Gorman said. Gorman has three pieces in the exhibition, and what he creates is built to last. “The stuff I make, you can’t buy at Ikea, right?” he said. “And hopefully it’s good enough that I can pass it on to my children, so that’s my goal: make furniture that’ll last for 200 years. That’s where it’s at.” You can learn more about the exhibition at https://www.saws.ca/2025.
