Economic downturns are hard for local business, and if that business happens to specialize in handcrafted, artisanal woodworking, the toll can be especially heavy. This was certainly the case for Northwest Fine Woodworking, a cooperative consisting of twenty nine members and two hundred non-members who showcase their work in a stately Pioneer Square gallery in downtown Seattle.

The economic trouble began early in 2008 and progressed as the year went on. Business was slowing, recalled NWFW's Director, Sharon Ricci. Long time shoppers who would make annual trips to the studio did not come, or came and made smaller purchases. The annual events that showcased new work did not result in large sales, and the holiday season was disappointing. And in yet another blow, the rent was rising on their studio space. By the end of 2008, the cooperative needed a plan to stay in business and survive the downturn.

Whereas other companies would have been forced to shut theirs doors, NWFW decided to expand its mission. In January 2009, the nearly 30 year old cooperative announced that it is creating a new nonprofit, would transform itself into a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) art gallery and education center under the name "Northwest Furniture Arts."

This change would result in the gallery continuing its business as usual alongside the new nonprofit, which would occupy a wing of current gallery space starting in the summer of 2009. According to the press release, "Northwest Fine Woodworking and its member/ owners will continue to provide custom studio furniture and educational opportunities to the extended woodworking community. In addition, Northwest Furniture Arts will present museum-quality displays of studio furniture from locally and nationally recognized artists, create an avenue for the community to support furniture- making education for tomorrow's furniture artists, and partner with other community-based arts organizations to grow their outreach to residents of and visitors to Seattle."

The works on display in the museum wing of the gallery would not be for sale, Ricci says, but the works will aim to expand the public's understanding of studio furniture and expose the community to a wider range of stylistic diversity, including work with sustainable materials and experimental woodworking techniques. For the artist/craftsperson, the museum wing would offer information for schooling, shop space, materials, and recommended reading. The non-profit will solicit funds to reach goals in two ways: through charitable contributions and from memberships. "The full details of the membership plan are still being ironed out," Ricci notes, "but we have received great enthusiasm from a wide range of wood artists already."

The approval process for the 501 (c) (3) is still underway, and the cooperative is still working out the details. Members are hopeful that this new way forward will ensure the future of NWFW while also showcasing the craft of woodworking to successive generations in the Pacific Northwest. As Ricci notes, "The artists realize, as many of our patrons also do, that the skill of working with one's hands is a cultural treasure that needs to be retained at all cost for a community to be vibrant and healthy."