The Vermont Fine Furniture & Woodworking Festival ended their 7th annual show in late September with success and the 2011 event planning is already underway. The Vermont Wood Manufacturers Association (VWMA), which manages the event every year, was just notified that they received a 2011 Top Ten Fall Event designation by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. The show is already accepting 2011 exhibitor applications and woodworkers are eagerly signing up to get their favorite booth.
Fifty Vermont woodworking craftsmen exhibited at the 2010 event and demonstrated to all attending that Vermont is the place to buy quality, Vermont made wood products. Wood in every form and species was on display and for sale, making it undeniable to all that ‘you name it, they can do it.’ The camaraderie amongst woodworkers was also evident to the visitors and tourists, seeing woodworkers network and catch up, as for some this is their annual meeting. There was something for everyone; a wooden bowl or spoon for an upcoming wedding present, a santa carving for the holidays, an heirloom bed for the generations to come, and much more.
As Festival goers savored some Cabot cheddar cheese and listened to the music of the local Woodstock High School musicians, they also had their chance to offer public opinion on several items. All voted on their favorite booth display and their favorite demonstrator. The winning public vote for best booth was Brian Bright Studio Furniture of Randolph Center, VT. Bright entered a piece called ‘Changing Times’, which drew in a lot of interest from the public. Bright received a Masters of Fine Arts, Woodworking and Furniture Design in 2004 from the Rochester Institute of Technology, School for American Crafts. Bright ‘merges contemporary artistic style with traditional woodworking technique to create meticulously crafted and highly unique heirloom quality furniture and furnishings’. Bright is currently an instructor for Burlington Colleges’ Craftsmanship and Design: Woodworking and Fine Furniture program and at The Vermont Woodworking School in Cambridge, VT. You can view more about Bright at www.brightstudiofurniture.com.
Favorite demonstrator was awarded to Ted Fink of TJF Turnings, LLC of Shelburne, VT. Fink designs, manufactures, and sells turned wooden bowls and lidded boxes. He has been a demonstrator for the Woodworking Festival for the past several years and attracts great attention showing off lathe turning techniques. One of his more popular items is his Ultimate Ice Cream Bowl, which he makes to keep your hands warm while you enjoy your favorite flavor of ice cream. Fink is a member of VWMA, the Vermont Crafts Council, and the Woodchuck Turners of Northern Vermont. You can find more about Fink at www.tjfturnings.com.
Winners Announced for Vermont Woodworking Design Competitions
WOODSTOCK, VT- At the recent VT Fine Furniture & Woodworking Festival the finest wood craftsmen in Vermont exhibited their design entries in the Vermont Woodworking Design Competition. The entries were displayed not only for the judges, but for the public to give them an opportunity to see, first hand, the broad scope of work designed and created by the state’s many artisans. The panel of prestigious judges included Mark Schofield of Fine Woodworking Magazine, Philip Lowe of the Furniture Institute of Massachusetts, and local Vermont state architect John Ostrum. Judges enjoyed the day with their clipboards on hand, making notes that would help them decide who would walk away with the 1st place awards in the various categories offered. Five professional categories were offered, in addition to two student categories: 17 and under and 18+, to include high school students and those that were a part of a woodworking school. Pieces were judged based upon the quality of the craftsmanship and the innovativeness of the design. The Competition was open only to those pieces that are designed and made in Vermont, by Vermont woodworkers.
First Place prizes were awarded in each of the categories to the following woodworkers: production furniture to Brent Karner of ClearLake Furniture for the Serenity TV Stand; custom or studio furniture to Doug Clarner of Clarner Woodworks for his Thread Leaf Sideboard; production woodenware to Mark Yuengling of ClearLake Furniture for his Endgrain Cutting Boards; custom woodenware to David Hurwitz Originals for his Floor Lamp (Stained glass by Phil Godenschwager & LED lighting by Jason Orzell of LED Dynamics), and carvings and sculpture to Jim Maas of Birds in Wood for The Duck Hunter.
In the high school level student category first place was awarded to Michael Zoesch of Burr & Burton Academy for his Victor box, and Kevin Coughlin took the 18+ student award for his Mahogany Guitar Case. Coughlin was enrolled in Burlington Colleges’ Associates Degree in Fine Furniture Making program, which is implemented at the Vermont Woodworking School, and was the first student to receive the Associates of Arts degree in Craftsmanship and Design with a concentration in Woodworking and Fine Furniture Making. Students learn the fundamentals of woodworking, and fine tune their skills by participating in skills-based classes and workshops offered by members of the Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers. To view more about the woodworking certificates and programs offered at Burlington College please visit http://www.burlington.edu/academics/index1.php?page=95.