West Australian (Perth) Wood Show 2019

Judges got it wrong again

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Showy veneer on a pedestrian case apparently trumped finely crafted joinery, fit, and original design. Kitchen cabinet hardware and applied front drawers would have put it at the bottom of the heap for me, unless the category was kitchen cabinets. Real drawers and knife hinges would have demonstrated some cabinet making skill. One is left to wonder what experience the judges have with hand made furniture.

I would like to see more furniture pictures if you have them.

Re: West Australian (Perth) Wood Show 2019

Rum

Quite a show! I'll agree that I like your piece better at basically all levels but the inlay work on the winner was pretty striking so.. I guess that's style preference and hard to quantify.

I also appreciate the design of that spring pole lathe hidden in the one picture of the green woodworking section, the spring pole on the underside with the overhead transfer arm is a clever design.

Re: I agree with Bill

Hank Knight

The first two things I noticed about the winning piece were the euro hinges and the false front drawers. Apparently fancy inlay trumps technical joinery at the Perth show. Wasn't last year's winner graced with a lot of fancy inlay? I think the level of craftsmanship in Derek's piece far exceeded that of the winner. It all comes down to what the judges like. Sorry, Derek. I think yours was the better entry.

Re: Judges got it wrong again

Mark Nowicki

Me too.

Cup hinges, metal drawer slides scream IKEA.

Re: West Australian (Perth) Wood Show 2019

Barry Irby

I agree with the criticism of the winner, simply not the level of craftsmanship in yours.

You was robbed.

The Three Americans???? Are the woods American? Perhaps walnut, maple and cherry? Could they be the Red man, Black man and White man?

Re: West Australian (Perth) Wood Show 2019

Thomas Skaggs, Foothills of Mount Level

I always look forward to your annual post. If it were me, I'd make a bee line to the used tool vendor. Looks like lots of goodies! I enjoy seeing the furniture of course. It seems to me that I have seen some more interesting work in the past. But I know this is only a sampling. As for your piece, I feel it demonstrated greater craftsmanship in construction than the winner's piece.

Thanks again for the report!

T.

You were robbed!

Jim Dillon

Derek, your piece demonstrated far more craftsmanship and original design. My jaw dropped when I saw metal slides on the drawers not to mention other construction details not worthy of a juried piece. Go figure! Anyway, thanks for the pics and you now have a wonderful piece for your home. Jim

Comment

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

Many thanks to all of you for your very kind words and support.

In competitions there will always be winners and losers. And opinions about the decisions.

Bill wanted to see photos of the other furniture entries. The truth is that I thought most were not worth posting, that the furniture entries this year were below the usual standard. It seemed that every man and his dog entered a resin table. I think that most are hideous. Examples ...

There were stars (for me) in the form of the boxes by Martin Burgoyne, returned from Japan ...

This simple tool box of his was wonderful ...

I also always enjoy the carvings of Stephanie Ryan. So whimsical ...

Apology for the lack of clarity. The pieces were in a glass cabinet ...

As to the furniture piece that was awarded first place, the maker is a very good woodworker, and he wins every year (except for 2017, when I won). He works exclusively with veneer on chipboard or MDF. His veneer work is stupendous. We are good mates and I tease him that it is kitchen ware. We have an agreement that I will teach him dovetailing, and he will teach me veneering.

My wife argues that there should be one category for veneer work and another for solid wood. The competition rules state that they aim to reward design and craftsmanship, and to do so regardless of whether power or handwork is used. History tends to indicate that veneer is king. My view - which I have to avoid sounding like sour grapes - is that veneer used extensively can hide a multitude of sins and is not fine woodworking. It is just fine veneering. In my world, craftsmanship is about joinery and proportions and choice of materials.

Rather than become frustrated with this, I have made it my mission at my club to educate members about joinery and hand tools. I use machines as well, but I see how their over use can limit expression. Wide veneered panels look sterile. Machine joinery is not the enemy, but it can discourage flights of design fancy. A few weeks ago I gave a talk on the bow-fronted apothecary chest I built for the 2018 Wood Show (and which did not get a place). I think that it only dawned on members just how complex the joinery was. Many do not think about these aspects, or that many of the technical challenges of design were met by woodworkers over 200 years ago.

On to next year!

Regards from Perth

Derek

Not surprised....

Mark Hennebury

Hi Derek, You did a great job and should have won; had we lived in a fair and sensible world, you would have.

You have a fatal flaw in you woodworking education; you have concentrated your efforts on craftsmanship not shmoozing.

No one ever got recognized as a great woodworker for doing great woodworking.

You have realized that even your fellow woodworkers are for the most part blind to the value of work above their own level.

Who is qualified to judge your work, other than someone who is at least as good or better.

The Judge

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

When Frank Lloyd Wright was working on the the Guggenheim Museum, New York State kicked up its dancing shoes with "Sir, you must be licensed in New York if you wish to be involved." Wright replied, "Okay, I'll take your test, but who's going to grade my responses?"

Re: Not surprised....

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

Thanks Mark.

As a clinical psychologist working with children, some of the issues I have with the Internet, and related media, especially video games, is (1) it all happens so quickly, and (2) it is all in your face - nothing is left to the imagination. The issue for me is that visualisation skills are unpracticed, creativity is unnecessary and reduced, and tolerance for waiting is diminished.

One of my favourite stories from my childhood is that, when I was about 10 years old I had a game of chess with an uncle. We did not have TV (and certainly no computers). What was different was that my uncle lived in another country, and so we played via correspondence. I'd write a move on a post card (remember those ), and he would do the same. 2 1/2 years went by before we got together to complete the game. Can kids of today do this? Answer: they do not need to; they can email or Skype.

There is a parallel with woodworkers. Like the Internet, mechanical joiners (such as biscuit machines and the Domino) have opened up a world for many. However, rather than seeing these methods as an adjunct to the range of methods one may need to utilise, many stop there. These methods are quick and do not require learning traditional joinery. Further, they facilitate the joining of manufactured boards (MDF and ply), which do not require learning about grain direction, wood movement, etc.

Of course, not all do this. My commentary is about one type of "modern woodworker". There is also a resurgence towards hand tool use as part of the desire to slow things down, which many appear to be experiencing.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Not surprised....

Barry Irby

I have said for many years that we need to learn from antiques and the old masters who built them. Not to copy the style but to learn the techniques and knowledge of the material. There are at least two reasons the antiques have endured. One was they were beautiful and attractive (to some) and they were built well enough to last. Take that second set of information apply it to any style you would like.

Sadly...

John in NM

That is a very good point.

I noticed years ago that competitions were basically popularity contests - either of the entrants themselves or of the techniques displayed. If you had somewhat eclectic interests, it would show in either personality or work and you were sure to top out at some level of runner up.

The very few times I've participated in shows of any sort, I've gotten far more out of talking to the other entrants about our respective work than anything the judges have to offer.

Went and looked...

John in NM

The veneer piece that won is very impressive - right up until I see the inside. I find the casework to be a real let down, its a shame given the expectations raised by the quality of veneer work.

Re: Not surprised....

Clint Searl

Furniture that has endured over the centuries and is generally recognized as beautiful bears that reputation because of its design, not because of how precisely the dovetails fit. Most of the contemporary stuff coming out of studios and shops is boringly uninspired and all looking alike, I think because imaginations don't extend beyond the way to put things together. Around the cracker barrel, discussion rarely veers from technique and tools.

not entirely

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Furniture that has endured over the centuries and is generally recognized as beautiful bears that reputation because of its design,

By itself I don't agree. No matter what your definition of "endure" is a desk's survival potential and its popularity depends on quality of construction and design.

It is the quality of the carving that makes a Townsend or Goddard piece exceptionally valuable. Their shells were better than other's shells. In my experience anything that shows is finely executed in the antiques that are highly valued, or even valued enough to have been kept. Within a style the higher the quality of execution the higher the value of the piece. While I have no data to prove it I'll wager that a Stickly style with poorly executed through tenons would not make it to the TV part of Antiques Road Show, or most people's furniture collection.

Re: not entirely

Clint Searl

Design:Construction= 85:15