Tag: Ontario

How Po Makes Hand Drums, Portia Chapman, Uncategorized

How to Choose the Best Hardwoods for Making Drum Frames by Kingston Artist Portia Po Chapman

Portia "Po" Chapman

Po: “Selecting Hardwood is a Hard Task”

Hi, I am Portia “Po” Chapman from Kingston Ontario. I am an artist who hand makes unique frame drums. On this post, I will show you how to pick the best hardwood pieces for single-ply, steam bent drum frames. You’d think that it is easy, but it is not. Follow these steps and you will improve your chances of success.

Po Returning from Lumber Supplier

What Types of Wood are Best for Bending Drum Frames

My top 3 woods to use are: red oak, maple, cherry. I have not had much luck using white oak or walnut. All the research I have done, says that white ash is the best, but I cannot find a white ash supplier and the white ash drum frames that I have purchased from other suppliers have been economy grade. So for this article, I will address my preferred 3 woods mentioned above.

Po Sanding End Wedge of Red Oak Board
Before Steaming and Bending.
Notice the Long Grain Without Knots.

How to Choose Wood for Drum Frames

When selecting the lumber at the yard, be sure to choose wood without knots, splits, or swirling/wandering grains. All three of these characteristics will result in drum frames that crack and break while bending them into a drum shape. You want to pick long straight grains that do not drift off to the edges of the board. It will take you some time to find the ideal ones. Note: you pay the same price if they are in the same pile, so take your time to choose the most suitable ones.

What Size of Lumber to Buy for Drum Frames

The next thing with which to concern yourself is the board length and width. Most frame drums / hand drums range from 12″-16″ in diameter. To create drums frames of these diameters, you will require boards between 4′-6′ long. If you can afford it, however, purchase boards 7′-8′ long to assure that you can make drum frames after potential splitting during the bending process.

Notice How the White Oak has Snapped. In this Photo, Po’s Assistant is Compressing the Drum Frame to be Marked for Cutting. Be Sure to Have Enough Wood to Accommodate for Splits and Breaks During the Milling, Steaming and Bending Phases of
Frame Drum Making.

Recap – How to Choose Wood for Steam Bending Drum Frames

I choose Red Oak, Maple, or Cherry woods that have long straight grains and have no knots. My preferred stock is 1″ thick, 7′ long and 4″-6″ wide. In Kingston, these boards will run between $50 and $100 each. In short, making steam-bent hardwood drum frames is not a cheap art in which to dabble. At my private art studio in Kingston, I make rawhide drums from 8″-23″ in diameter and range in price from $200-$2000.

Drum Page & Contact


Art News, Artist Portia Po Chapman Mural

Portia Po Chapman Mural “Warbler Watching” – Photos of Unveiling Ceremony in Aviator’s Garden at Base 31 PEC, Picton, Ontario, July 9, 2022

Portia "Po" Chapman
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Portia Po Chapman Mural “Warbler Watching” – Photos of Unveiling Ceremony in Aviator’s Garden at Base 31 PEC, Picton, Ontario, July 9, 2022

See Blog Post for the Mural Creation Process and Photos: How Portia Po Chapman Made the Mural Warbler Watching for Base 31 Picton

I was overflowing with excitement during the unveiling of my newest mural commission at the Base 31 PEC Community Open House in Picton, Ontario, on Saturday, July 9, 2022. My mural entitled “Warbler Watching” was part of a collection of 6 murals commissioned to hang upon the exterior of the former Officer’s Quarters of the WWII flight training site. An additional mural was mounted on another building as well. The collection of murals entitled, “Nature’s Aviators” celebrates the flying wildlife who call Picton, Ontario home. In my piece, I am sure you can guess which natural aviators I chose to celebrate…you got it right, WARBLERS!

The day was such a wonderful experience for me. I was grateful to be a part of the festivities and the Community Open House for this newly branded historical location. From the moment I stepped on the grounds to the end of the day, I was on the go. The festival atmosphere included musical entertainment, street artists, food and beverage booths, tours and of course, the unveiling.

When I first arrived to Base 31, I had an interview with Base 31’s videographer, Ophelia Spinosa, lined up in the Aviator’s Garden in which the wall of commissioned murals was located. I was overjoyed to share the inspiration and process of creating “Warbler Watching” with Spinosa, a high school friend of mine who I hadn’t seen since my Grade 12 Graduation from Nicholson Catholic College in Belleville, Ontario! Funny how the Creator works, isn’t it?! My interview appropriately took place with my mural situated behind me. After the unveiling ceremony, Spinosa interviewed all of the additional artists who were in attendance.

Just before the ceremony, I was delightfully introduced to some of the other mural artists and we all sat together at what I like to call, “The Artists’ Table.” It was really cool being the youngest artist to attend the unveiling ceremony. Sitting at that table was like finally having moved from the kids’ table to sitting with the adults for Christmas Dinner! OH, BTW, I invite you to watch my performance art video “Turkey.” It features the day in the life of a Roasted Christmas Turkey at my grandmother’s table (music and video by me and fam).

After the unveiling ceremony, during which the Base 31 Manager of Public Art and Placemaking and curator of the mural project, Christophe Doussot, and the Chief Placemaking Officer, Assaf Weisz shared their words about the project, I proudly posed with the other artists.

One of the best parts of the day for me, however, was having the opportunity to talk about my artwork with the many viewers and hear about what they see in or feel from the mural. Thank goodness I had my bright pink, classic Po, business cards ready to give out!

It was also special to talk to one of the head gardeners of the Aviator’s Garden, where the murals are located, who planned the placement of the beautiful indigenous plants that were recently planted in the premises. Many of those plants I had included in my mural such as cedar and lilacs.

It was an absolutely wonderful day and I hope that you too have the chance to see our murals and visit Base 31, Picton, Prince Edward County, Ontario.