AWR Studio Furniture 2018: Meet the Entrants 1
This year Australian Wood Review in partnership with Bungendore Wood Works Gallery will produce the third of its AWR Studio Furniture exhibitions.
The first two iterations in 2008 and 2010 were landmark exhibitions and AWR Studio Furniture 2018 promises to be another incredible display of work by leading designer makers in wood.
Designer makers all over the world are invited to enter by uploading six images of past work and include a short bio in the "Entry Description field". There is an $80 fee to enter. Shortlisted entrants will be invited to exhibit at AWR Studio Furniture 2018 at Bungendore Wood Works Gallery. The exhibition opens Oct 20, 2018 and runs until Jan 31, 2019.
Some fantastic entries have already started coming in and it's our pleasure to introduce each designer maker in the first of a series of updates.
David Hall, Benalla, Vic
After 40 years working as an engineer, with woodwork as a hobby to be pursued when time permitted, retirement to north-east Victoria has enabled David Hall to engage more actively in his love of woodworking. Over the years his skills and aesthetics have been refined through practice and exposure to other woodworkers. He is a long term member and past president of the Victorian Woodworkers Association. Most of David’s output is in a contemporary style and always of his own design. He has a preference for Australian timbers wherever possible and has undertaken work utilising recycled timbers.
Peter Young, Brisbane, Qld
Making studio furniture m is my third career, having earlier been a research scientist and then CEO of a biotechnology company. The part of science I liked best was the hands-on bench work, having an idea and then pursuing it through to publication. Although the techniques of furniture making are different, the process is remarkably similar. As in science, I am actively seeking to expand my skills and then tailor them to maximum effect in my own style. My current practice involves making pieces for galleries, writing for Australian Wood Review and teaching at the Sturt School for Wood and elsewhere. Email: pydesign@tpg.com.au
Darren Oates, Hawkesbury, NSW
Darren Oates is a fine furniture designer/maker based in the Hawkesbury, NSW and divides his work equally between commission work and spec pieces which are shown in galleries throughout New South Wales. He is pragmatic, though not utilitarian, in his approach to furniture design, considering both form and function to be vital. Most of his pieces are made from Australian native timbers reclaimed from urban developments, or FSC accredited timber. A lot of Darren’s furniture involves the use of curved elements most of which are achieved by bent laminations. Darren tries to keep the lines of his furniture simple but also design pieces that will not blend into the background.
Rolf Barfoed, Fyshwick, ACT
Rolf Barfoed is a furniture designer and maker who trained under leading craft practitioners in both Australia and England. At the heart of his furniture is functional design and a passion for craftsmanship that can be seen and felt in each piece he makes. As well as making his own furniture, Rolf manufactures for other designers; putting several designs into production alongside bespoke pieces and prototyping. His designs are informed by traditional craft skills and modern production methods which result in contemporary work of heirloom quality. His passion for craftsmanship and ability to innovate and make complex work look simple is at the heart of his practical furniture.
