ROCKPORT — Celebrating the work of its alumni and previous fellows, “Alumni and Fellows 2026” will open on September 21, at the Messler Gallery in Rockport. The opening reception will be held Friday, Sept. 25, from 5 to 7 p.m., and the public is encouraged to attend. The exhibition runs through January 6, 2027. 

The 23 works on display were selected from more than 75 submissions and showcase the extraordinary talent in design and craftsmanship learned by the school’s graduates through its variety of programs, according to Messler Gallery, in a news release.

Exhibitor Phillip Leonard was a part of the Class of 2010 Nine-month Comprehensive course. In reference to his experience with this current build and the impact of his time at Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, Leonard said: “Throughout the build, I was reminded of the school's supportive environment, where experimentation, craftsmanship, and the development of an individual voice as a maker were equally encouraged. That influence continues to shape how I work today, and this piece represents a return to designing and building for myself.”

Jurors for the exhibition were Melissa Engler, Wood Sculptor and Teacher, from Asheville, NC, Kristina Madsen, Furniture Maker, from Southampton, MA, and Mike Pekovich, Editor and Creative Director, Fine Woodworking Magazine, from Middlebury, CT. 

Alumni and Fellows participating in the exhibition are both professional and avocational woodworkers from across the U.S. They include Dotan Appelbaum (Brooklyn, NY), Eric Asche (Denver, CO), William Bellamy (Columbia, MD), Paul Bischoff (Merrimac, MA), Lanny Dean (Union, ME), Joseph Holmes (Lincoln, NE), Jinsoo Kim (Cresskill, NJ), Phillip Leonard (Chicago, IL), Peter Lloyd (Santa Fe, NM), David Messmer (Lansing, NY), Steve Miller (Black Mountain, NC), Roger Murff (Menlo Park, CA), James Nelson (Woodinville, WA), Nikki O’Connor (Amesbury, MA), Stephen Porter (Pittsburgh, PA), Spencer Roseworth (South Portland, ME), Annalise Rubida (Portland, ME), Allison E. Samuels (Brooklyn, NY), Matthew Shewchuk (Melville, NY), Stacy Tangney (Urbandale, IA), Lily Tilton (Jamaica Plain, MA), Leslie Webb (Warren, ME), Larry Zarra (Califon, NJ). The exhibitors are graduates of the Nine-month Comprehensive program, the Furniture and Turning Intensive programs, summer Workshops, and the Fellowship program.

Messler Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays through November 4. The gallery is located on the campus of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, at the corner of Route 90 and Mill Street in Rockport, Maine. After the opening, the exhibition will be on view at the Center’s website, www.woodschool.org. 

The Center for Furniture Craftsmanship is a nonprofit, year-round school that offers courses in furniture making and related arts such as carving and woodturning.  For more information, call 207-594-5611, e-mail victoria.allport@woodschool.org or visit our website at www.woodschool.org.