AWR Studio Furniture 2018: Meet the Entrants 11
Shortlisting for AWR Studio Furniture 2018 has now taken place. You can read about the process and rationale here. From eligible 105 entries we now have 73 shortlisted entrants, most of whom are now engaged in producing original and exceptional works for the exhibition which will open on October 20, 2018 at Bungendore Wood Works Gallery, NSW.
Winners of awards valued at $20,000+ will be announced on the night. The exhibition takes place during Wood Dust Australia, however it will run until January 31, 2019.
We will continue to introduce the entrants in a series that will take us up to the opening. You can also see work by shortlisted entrants in the lead-up on our Instagram and Facebook pages.
We are grateful to our sponsors for their support: Bungendore Wood Works Gallery, Felder Group Australia and Branch 95 Timbers.
Byron Raleigh, Artefact Furniture
Is it possible that we have been taken for a ride by the objects in our lives? We are dazzled by the new and the cheap. Precious resources are wasted in a race to the bottom driven by fashion. Have we forgotten about quality and integrity? Artefact urges you to invest in objects for the long term. Buy a good one, look after it and it will serve you well into the future. A well designed and made object may cost a little more to begin with, however it will pay you back many times over its life. Our grandparents understood this simple philosophy. We could stand to benefit from their wisdom. Website: www.artefactfurniture.com.au
Neil Erasmus, Erasmus Designs
Neil’s knowledge and skills of fine furniture making and teaching ability have facilitated travel to many parts of the world. Neil is a regular instructor at the excellent Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine, USA, and has even taught, one-on-one, in Auckland, New Zealand. Over their long careers, Neil has won numerous awards the most recent being for Studio Furniture 2010 at Bungendore Wood Works Gallery. His work can be found in public and private collections around the world. Website: www.erasmusdesigns.com
Anthony Hoffrichter, Australian Fine Boxes
For most of my working life I was a boat builder, building mainly large offshore powerboats. Then in 1993 the company which I worked for ceased trading and I found myself unemployed. I started a business repairing boats on site – not much fun lying underneath a boat and trying to repair it in the middle of a Melbourne winter. I have always been interested in wood, its colours and grain patterns, and during my time as a boat builder I worked with many beautiful timbers, learning the importance of different joints. During this time I built my first jewellery box, given to my wife as a birthday gift. A friend saw this box and commissioned me to build a similar one. Other people saw that box and asked me to build boxes for them. I built more boxes and did less boat repairs, and in 1994 I became a full time boxmaker. I have always been fascinated by old and antique wooden boxes, with their inlays and escutcheons, so most of my boxes are modern variations of these. I hope that owning one of my boxes gives my customers as much pleasure as I have creating them. Website: www.ausboxes.com
Jeremy Lee, JD Lee Furniture
JD.Lee Furniture was born from Jeremy’s passion to create, along with his belief in supporting the environment and creating a sustainable future for his small family. Living on the northern rivers Jeremy’s appreciation for a balanced lifestyle has always driven him to follow his passion and always try his best. After completing his studies in industrial design Jeremy went on to start an apprenticeship as a furniture maker where he developed his skills in traditional joinery and craftsmanship. Sustainable design and manufacturing are at the forefront of JD Lee Furniture. With experience in both industrial design and manufacturing Jeremy identified the need for a holistic approach to furniture design, where a real understanding of the manufacturing process is necessary. Inspired by other Australian designers, makers and creatives also working towards a balanced lifestyle and sustainable future Jeremy opened the JD.Lee Furniture workshop in 2015. Shown here: Dali Shelves. Website: www.jdleefurniture.com
Evan Dunstone, and William Bayliss, Dunstone Design
This is a collaboration between Evan Dunstone and William Bayliss (apprentice to Dunstone Design/Evan Dunstone). We are Australian contemporary fine furniture craftsmen and chairmakers based in Canberra. We specialise in bespoke and commissioned work, but we also carry ‘ready to ship’ stock of our most popular designs. Our work is a celebration of wood and craftsmanship. Dunstone Design crafts contemporary studio furniture from the finest Australian and international timbers and materials. As makers and designers we are professionals who have chosen the long path of craftsmanship; the hand of the maker is evident in all our work. Website: www.dunstonedesign.com.au
Ollie Ayrton, Wings
I am an artist who lives and works in Canberra, Australia. I am a craftsman who is intrigued by the inherent properties of the materials I use. I draw inspiration primarily from the great tradition of art, that is to say, figuration. However let's say the universe is my muse, and there is a plethora of themes that inspires me: pop culture, Greek mythology, cosmology, mysticism, architecture and lost civilisations to name but a few. For my entry I wanted to make a simple Parson's table with a carved figure in the top. This table would be a tribute to Matthew Harding (1964–2018) who was an extraordinary artist, craftsman and designer. The title ‘Wings’ is inspired by William Blake: ‘No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings’. Website: www.ollieayrton.com
AWR Studio Furniture is proudly sponsored by:
