Woodcraft Funds Scholarships for Three Students at The Krenov School

Three students at The Krenov School in Fort Bragg, California, are recipients of scholarships awarded by The Krenov Foundation and funded by Woodcraft Supply.

Chris Secrest of La Crescenta, California, was presented his scholarship this semester. Hayden Castagno of Rexburg, Idaho, and Miles Gracey of Los Angeles, California, received scholarships in the fall of 2021 for the first semester.

The Krenov Foundation, established in 2014, awards several substantial scholarships each year to students attending The Krenov School, which was founded in 1981 by the late James Krenov, a highly acclaimed cabinetmaker, author and teacher.

In addition to the scholarships for the nine-month program, the foundation now offers BIPOC Summer Workshop Scholarships for people of color and others who have been underrepresented at the school. Read more about the foundation at thekrenovfoundation.org.

“Woodcraft is proud to support this scholarship program that encourages participation and excellence in fine woodworking,” President and CEO Jack Bigger said. “The Krenov School and Foundation play an important role in preserving this centuries-old craft.”

The Krenov School. A part of Mendocino College, The Krenov School offers an intense fine woodworking and cabinetmaking program. Prior to COVID, the program was nine months, six days a week, eight hours a day over two semesters. To accommodate COVID protocols, the program has operated on a shorter timeframe with fewer students to allow safe distancing. In February, the school announced on its Facebook page that it would again be accepting applications for the nine-month program, starting in August 2022.

Although machinery is used at the school, the focus is on teaching students to use hand tools and learn to design and execute a project on their own. Some students opt to go a second year for more advanced instruction. Short workshops are also offered in the summer.

Learn more at the school’s website and Facebook page.

Hayden Castagno, Second-Year Student. Hayden grew up spending time in his father’s metal fabrication shop and went on to make a living working with metals. He learned the detail-oriented aspects of woodworking as teen, using inlay work to make skateboards. In his marquetry research, he saw The Krenov School mentioned, and in 2019 he applied.

“As a first-year student at The Krenov School, Hayden said, “I experienced a complete transformation as a craftsperson, which can be attributed to the environment: 48 hours a week surrounded by supportive instructors, inspiring alumni, and a tried and true curriculum.”

Hayden said he began combining his metalworking background with woodworking by making tools, starting with miniature brass spokeshaves. “I have since built on that and started a business under my own name, making a range of tools that became useful in the school. I have plans to make functional furniture and continue on the toolmaking path.”

Miles Lawton Gracey, Second-Year Student. Miles moved through the disciplines of music, design, and sculpture before making furniture. 

Trained as a cabinetmaker, he found his way to The Krenov School where he challenged himself to make objects with the precision and techniques only possible at a school like The Krenov.

“The Krenov School offered a safe and supportive space to test the limits of my skills and experiment with new techniques,” Miles said. “The time offered by the school allowed me to slow down and listen to the materials, and the class itself provided constant encouragement and cross-pollination of ideas.”

Miles said he will take the skills he learned at The Krenov School to several artist residencies where he will further refine and expand his body of work.