Chinkapin Craftstead

Woodbury TN, May 2023

Chinkapin Craftstead is a Queer non-profit arts organization located near Woodbury, TN on 280 acres of old-growth trees, meadows and springs. It is a land project committed to uplifting queer, trans and BIPOC voices; incubating all art forms and creative expressions; and cultivating a safe space for artists and social activists in a beautiful natural setting. 

With one co-teacher (Dawn Robin of Timberhomes Vermont) and 18 participants, we created this 20’x30’ barn over the course of 10 days. Its many functions include a gallery, event venue, art studio, and rehearsal space for dance and theater. It features an outdoor covered stage with two forked tree posts that were cut from the forest, within walking distance of the barn.

The crew from the 2023 Chinkapin Craftstead timber framing workshop is posing under the newly raised frame.
A crew of timber framing workshop participants work together to carry a heavy timber.
Dawn Robin teaches timber framing students how to cut a mortise and tenon joint.
Four people on one timber using millers falls boring machines at a timber framing workshop.
Four antique boring machines for timber framing, including two millers falls.
Two carpenters working cutting timber frame joinery.
Ariel Schecter and Dawn Robin give a demo about timber framing with round logs.
The crew raises the first timber framed bent at the 2023 Chinkapin timber framing workshop.
10 people standing on scaffolding, working together to lift a heavy timber at a barn raising.
8 people on tall staging lift a ridge beam together during a timber frame workshop raising.
The crew relaxes after the timber frame raising is done.
The crew relaxes and admires their work at the end of a timber framing workshop.
Tree fork and timber roof at sunset after the timber frame workshop is complete, with sawhorses in the background.

Running four antique boring machines on a single timber! We drill a row of holes with these, and then chisel out the corners to make a mortise.

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Chinkapin Craftstead 2024