OLIVEHURST, Calif. -- The Urban Wood Network will host a full-day workshop highlighting how to market urban wood stories April 13 at the Urban Wood Store in Olivehurst.

Discussion will center around what designers look for in wood products for their residential and commercial projects.

The event will also feature a display of woodworking projects crafted from urban wood. Woodworkers of all skill levels are invited to showcase their craftsmanship and compete in a woodworking contest. (Click here to enter the contest.)

The event will kick off with a session on business development. Several seasoned urban wood professionals will share their strategies for fostering growth and success in the urban wood marketplace. 

Confirmed presenters include: 

• Josh Martin of Martin Shapes is a second-generation surfboard builder. He learned the craft from his father – legendary shaper Terry Martin, and continues to handcraft both wood and foam surfboards from his home-based workshop. Martin chronicles his shaping process on Instagram where he features insightful tips along with striking visuals and is frequently seen working with urban wood. He built a custom lightweight truck camper for his Tacoma. During a road trip to Baja, Calif., an Instagram video featuring his camper garnered 12 million views.
   
• Jonathan Schwartz, Colfax High School woodworking teacher, is a dedicated educator and skilled craftsman with a passion for woodworking and tree care. By day, he imparts his knowledge and expertise as the woodshop instructor at Colfax High School, where he has nurtured young minds for three decades. Outside the classroom, Schwartz channels his love for the natural world into his weekend pursuit of tree work, specializing in the removal of dead and dying trees. He transforms felled trees into usable lumber, which he then brings back to the high school to share with his students. With his guidance, students not only learn the art of woodworking but also gain an appreciation for sustainable practices and the beauty of locally sourced materials. 
   
• Jennifer Alger is executive director of The Urban Wood Store and CEO of Far West Forest Products, also manages Wood-Mizer California. For more than 25 years Algier has rescued downed urban trees, diverting them from landfills and converting them to lumber. She is member of the Board of Directors for the Urban Wood Network, and led a team to develop the first ever Urban Wood Standards and pathway for certification for Urban Wood Network members. 
   
• Husband-and-wife team Phil Vaughn and Chelsea Brown founded Aderyn Studio in 2015. Building on Chelsea’s experience as an Interior Designer and Phil’s experience as a builder and woodworker, they have developed a recognizable aesthetic that highlights the organic beauty that is inherent within wood, all while promoting the use of local, sustainable materials including urban lumber. As Aderyn Studio has grown and evolved, they have created collaborative relationships with many architecture and interior design firms which has resulted in the creation of numerous unique, one-of-a-kind furniture commissions. 
   
• Danny Torres Is the co-founder and CEO of Deadwood Revival Design (DRD) and co-owner of Pacific Coast Lumber. He cultivated his passion for salvaging trees while working as a wildland firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service. Through his work at DRD, Danny has focused on strengthening the urban wood economy through education, workforce development and mentoring programs. He led the charge to organize and develop the first ever “Urban Lumber Drying Workshop” and is currently working on other specialized training for urban lumber professionals. His mission is to inspire, grow and support a diversified wood economy that centers around urban wood utilization.

The event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. PDT. The $125 registration fee covers Continental breakfast, lunch and Happy Hour.

The Urban Wood Store is located at 1334 Melody Road in Olivehurst.

Learn more and register.