The best of Vermont's high school woodworking students should be very proud of their entries into the Vermont Student Woodworking Design Competition.
That's why the industry exhibited the entries on the weekend of the 6th Annual Vermont Woodworking Festival held in Woodstock on September 26-27, 2009.
The entries were viewed and judged by over 45 of Vermont's top woodworking professionals and by guest judge, Mark Schofield of Fine Woodworking Magazine, who has judged the competition for the past few years. Of the nine entries in this year's competition, prizes were awarded to the following students: Will Barstow of U-32 High School in Montpelier took First Place for his Walnut Boston Queen Anne Side Chair, Antonio Petri of Middlebury High School took Second Place for his Shaker Style End Table with Shaped Pedestal Base and Elmer Deforge, also of U-32 High School, took Third Place for his Coffee Table with Walnut Top and Walnut End Spindles.
Barstow's amazing craftsmanship has won over the judges before, taking First Place in the past three student woodworking competitions (Barstow tied for First Place with Indigo Wolf in 2007). The industry will certainly miss his student work next year, as he graduated from U-32 High School this past June, but hopes to see his work in the professional woodworking design competitions in future years. Mark Schofield stated, ".one piece stood out from the rest, a reproduction Queen Anne chair in walnut. The lines were crisp, the joinery tight, and the seat was comfortable. Each piece was only identified by a number, but I wasn't entirely surprised when the maker turned out to be Will Barstow who won the previous year with a Federal demilune table."
Pieces were judged based upon the quality of the craftsmanship and the innovativeness of the design. The Competition was open only to Vermont high school students, regardless of whether they were enrolled in a high school level woodworking program. We hope to see many Vermont schools participate in next year's competition. Photos of the student winning entries can be found at www.vermontwooddesigns.org.
