On September 28, 2013, at the 10th annual VT Fine Furniture & Woodworking Festival, the finest wood craftspeople 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 wood artisans.
The panel of prestigious judges included returning judge Dave Sellers, an architect from Warren, VT and founder of first design-build school at Goddard College, and two new judges; Eleanor Shepard, an interior designer & owner of Shepard Interior Selections & Randy Taplin, a fine furniture maker and cabinetmaker who has taught at Yestermorrow Design Build School since 1982. (SEE WINNING ENTRIES BELOW)
Judges enjoyed the day with their clipboards in hand, making notes that would help them decide who would walk away with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards in the various categories presented. The five professional categories included Custom or Studio Furniture, Production Furniture, Production Woodenware, Custom Woodenware, and Carvings & Sculptures and a student/apprentice category for those enrolled in a woodworking program or apprenticing with a woodworker. Pieces were judged based upon the quality of the craftsmanship and the innovativeness of the design. The Competition is open only to those pieces that are designed and made in Vermont, by Vermont woodworkers and students.
First Place prizes were awarded in each of the categories to the following professional woodworkers: production furniture to George Sawyer of Sawyer Made Windsor Chairs for Comb Back Windsor Rocking Chair; custom or studio furniture to David Boynton of Dave Boynton Cabinetmaker LLC for Standing Cabinet; custom woodenware to Carl Newton of Carl Newton, Bentwood Box Maker for Dragon Box;production woodenware to Glen Norton of Norton's Vermont Toboggans for Baby Sled; and carvings and sculpture to Ted Fink of TJF Turnings LLC for Natural-edge Oak Burl Bowl.
Alicia Dietz took 1st place for Through the Looking Glass in the student-apprentice category; 2nd place was awarded to Connor Gillis for Tea Cabinet; and 3rd place went to Ben de Leiris for Dovetail Table.Dietz is enrolled in the Burlington College Advanced Certificate Degree. De Leiris is enrolled in the Vermont Woodworking School Immersion program, 1st Semester. Gillis is a 3rd semester student in the Vermont Woodworking School’s Immersion Program.
The judges had such a hard time designating a Best in Show that they awarded it to three First place winners: Alicia Dietz, David Boynton, and George Sawyer for their winning entries. Judge Eleanor Shepard stated, ‘I felt everyone at the festival should get a prize. There is such a great resource of fine artisans and wood workers in Vermont. The design and skills shown were superb. I found some resources for my Interior Design business.’
The judges also made a special recognition to John Martineau of the Vermont Woodworking School for Best Joinery for Cloud Lift Hutch and to the overall Vermont Woodworking School for doing such an outstanding job educating the next generation of woodworkers in Vermont. Judge David Sellers stated, ‘Looking over the entries over the past several years it is easy to see the level of skill and artistry of the submissions improving rapidly. It makes me so proud of Vermont. The School submissions were excellent and demonstrate the skill of the faculty to bring along the students to such a high level. Vermont is and will continue to be the source of craft and inspiration in the use of our native trees. The three best in show awards were given as equals. A chair in traditional form and technique using historic tools; a sophisticated low table with two materials, glass and laminated wood showing the power of restraint that explores unique shapes; and finally a superb standing cabinet that in very subtle ways shows off the years of experience of the craftsman.’
At the Vermont Woodworking School students learn the fundamentals of woodworking and fine tune their skills by participating in skills-based classes and workshops. To view more about the woodworking certificates, degrees, and programs offered at Burlington College & the Vermont Woodworking School please visit https://www.burlington.edu/content/woodworking-school or www.vermontwoodworkingschool.com.
2013 Vermont Fine Furniture & Wood Products Design Competition Winners
View powerpoint of winners PDF
Custom/Studio Furniture
Place
Item
Winner
1
* Best in
Show *
Standing Cabinet
Dave Boynton Cabinetmaker LLC
Plainfield, VT
2
Console Table
David Hurwitz, David Hurwitz Originals
Randolph, VT
3
Comb Back Writing Arm Chair
ClearLake Furniture
Ludlow, VT
Production Furniture
1
* Best in
Show *
Comb Back Windsor Rocking Chair
George Sawyer, Sawyer Made Windsor Chairs
Woodbury, VT
2
Concave Front Writing Desk
Bob Gasperetti, Furniture Maker
Mt. Tabor, VT
3
Riverside Arm Chair
Douglas Martin Fine Woodworking
Chittenden, VT
Custom Woodenware
1
Dragon Box
Carl Newton, Bentwood Box Maker
Jericho, VT
2
Gentle Currents
Janet Collins, Green Mountain Woodturning
Ryegate, VT
3
Cherry Salad Bowl
George Sawyer, Sawyer Made Windsor Chairs
Woodbury, VT
Production Woodenware
1
Baby Sled
Glen Norton, Norton's Vermont Toboggans
Barre, VT
2
VT Maple Leaf Puzzle
Randy Crossman, XMAN Puzzles
Rutland, VT
3
Pendant & Earring Ensemble
T. Breeze Verdant Marquetry & Inlay
Brattleboro, VT
Carving & Sculpture
1
Natural-edged Oak Burl Bowl
Ted Fink, TJF Turnings LLC
Shelburne, VT
2
Maple Leaf Vase with Leaves on Rim
Rich Detrano Woodturner
Ludlow, VT
3
Treed
Jim Maas, Birds in Wood
Morgan, VT
Student-Apprentice
1
* Best in
Show *
Through the Looking Glass
Alicia Dietz, Burlington College
2
Tea Cabinet
Connor Gillis, Vermont Woodworking School
3
Dovetail Table
Ben de Leiris, Vermont Woodworking School
Special Recognition for Best Joinery
John Martineau,
Vermont Woodworking School
Cloud Lift Hutch
Design Competition prizes donated and sponsored by American Woodworker, Amoskeag Woodworking & Morse Hardwoods, Fine Woodworking Magazine, General Finishes, Waterlox Finishes, Gagnon Lumber, Berkshire Products, Ball & Ball, Proxxon Tools, Super Thin Saws, Vermont Natural Coatings, & the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA).