Guitar takes honors at Gathering of Guilds

A guitar built by Sisters High School graduate William Cyrus took Best of Show honors in the Woodworking Showcase Student Exhibition at the Gathering of Guilds in Portland last month.

The student exhibition is part of a gathering that includes craftsmen ranging from potters to hand-weavers to woodworkers.

Students have the opportunity to show their work before a regional audience.

"It has to be made entirely by the student," Woods Instructor Tony Cosby said.

Cyrus' guitar met that criterion. It was built as part of a unique guitar-building program sponsored by the Sisters Folk Festival.

"I'm pretty happy about that," Cyrus said of his award. "There's no way I could have done it without Cosby and his excellent volunteers."

Cyrus does not play guitar himself, but his work was noted for the quality of its sound. According to Cyrus, in addition to aesthetics, volume is a key criterion for the crafting of an acoustic guitar.

"As far as a guitar goes, the louder (it is), the better the workmanship," Cyrus noted.