About this event

Film Screening is from 6:00 - 8:00 pm ET

Director's Q&A is from 8:00 - 8:30 pm ET and will be live cast into the gallery via Zoom.

Can't make the screening? You can still attend the Q&A and connect with Director John Nakashima and moderators Erik Wolken and Robb Helmkamp by following this link:

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 870 1297 6774

Passcode: 290220

"George Nakashima, Woodworker"

2020 ‧ 2h

August's Craft Cinema presentation is a free screening of the 2020 documentary "George Nakashima, Woodworker" followed by a live, virtual Q&A with its director, Independent Filmmaker and George’s nephew, John Nakashima, moderated by Erik Wolken and Robb Helmkamp, hosts of the Why Make? podcast and furniture makers and documentary filmmakers themselves.

This film is the result of two decades of research and features never before seen still and film photography of George Nakashima, a leading figure in the American craft movement. It offers a rare and very personal perspective of the artist, his creative process, and the work that he designed and produced over a 54-year period.

Complimentary beverages and popcorn courtesy of Bhramari Brewing Co. and Poppy Handcrafted popcorn are provided. Thank you to our Craft Cinema series sponsor, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.

For more information about the documentary, visit: https://nakashimadocumentary.com/

About John Nakashima

John Nakashima is the Senior Producer/Director at West Virginia Public Broadcasting. John Nakashima has produced, directed, shot, written, edited programs in WV for over 46 years. His work explores our culture. Five docs he edited & had additional major roles in were awarded best documentary regional Emmys. Program highlights include Mountaineer, First 1,000 Days, Mountain Stage (nationally distributed TV version), Irene McKinney (radio series), Different Drummer (docs distributed in the US & UK), Clifftop (doc w/89,000 YouTube views). He is currently distributing an Indie feature-length documentary about his uncle, woodworker George Nakashima, and making his second indie documentary on his brother, artist Tom Nakashima.

About Why Make?

Why Make? is a collaborative project between Erik Wolken and Robb Helmkamp, both furniture makers and sculptors, seeking to create a narrative and oral history project with their podcast and most recently through documentary filmmaking. By having in-depth conversations with artists and makers, Robb and Erik hope to accomplish this by asking: What motivates artists? What are their individual artistic origins? And where do they find their inspiration to create?

Craft Cinema

Craft Cinema is a monthly film screening series at the Center for Craft that spotlights craft on screen. The films featured run the gamut from feature films that showcase making and craft disciplines, films that display an intrinsic attention to process and craft in their own making, to video art made by craft artists, and short film groupings.