N.C. student wins AWFS contest
Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, 8/17/2005 7:14:00 AM
Receives 5 1st Place awards
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| Joshua Williams, a student at Rockingham Community College in North Carolina, hit the jackpot in the AWFS 2005 Student Design Contest. His Newport Block Front Desk won first place in the traditional casework category, and also received the Best of Show and People’s Choice awards. |
Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the AWFS Fair, the contest handed out 14 first-place awards for various categories including traditional and creative caseworks, chairs, tables and upholstery.
Joshua Nickolds Williams received first place in the traditional casework category, then took home Best of Show, the People’s Choice Award and Fine Woodworking’s Craftsmanship award for his reproduction of a Newport block-front desk built by John Townsend in 1765. As if that weren’t enough, Williams also won first place for traditional chair with a Newport corner chair.
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| Josh Williams earned a certificate, a cash prize and a sculpture from craftsman Sam Maloof for winning best of show and the People’s Choice Award in the Student Design Contest. Shown are Scott Phillips, left, host of the PBS series “American Woodshop;” Williams; Art Pentz, his instructor at Rockingham Community College; and Duane Griffiths, chairman of the Student Design Committee of the AWFS. |
The 2005 Student Design Contest drew 160 student entries, a 40% increase over the previous contest in 2003. Entries came from 33 schools — 10 high schools and 23 post-secondary — which included 18 first-time participants.
“The contest has truly arrived as a national event,” said Duane Griffiths, chair of the Student Design Committee and manager of education for Stiles Machinery. “Entries were submitted from border to border and coast to coast. Only the best have entered.”
“The Student Design Contest display at the AWFS Fair always attracts a lot of attention, and people are just amazed by the quality and creativity of these students,” said Jeff Oliverson, chair of the AWFS Fair Tradeshow Committee and regional manager for OMGA, Inc. “The contest raises the bar for student woodworkers, and it’s a vital part of ensuring we have skilled and talented woodworkers to continue building this industry in North America.”
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| During the multiple Las Vegas markets, the Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers honored several high school and college students as part of its 2005 Student Design Contest. Fifty-eight students were selected as finalists, with 13 taking home first-place awards during a dinner at the Las Vegas Hilton. |
The AWFS covered the shipping costs to deliver the finalists’ pieces to the show. The organization also provided two hotel nights and a travel allowance to bring the finalists and their teachers to the show.
“There is tremendous value in bringing both the students and teachers in contact with the industry to learn of the latest tools, techniques and technology in the industry and affording them the opportunity to meet with other students and teachers for an exchange of ideas,” said Dale Silverman, AWFS executive director.
High School Level:
|
Category |
Prize |
Student, School |
Project |
|
Casework, Traditional |
First |
Vitaliy Verbovskiy of David Douglas High School |
Craftsman Curio Cabinet |
|
Casework, Traditional |
Honorable Mention |
Nate King of Cedar Ridge High School |
Curly Maple Nightstand |
|
Casework, Traditional |
Honorable Mention |
Myles Multhauf of Hartford Union High School |
Eight-Drawer Mission Style Dresser |
|
Casework, Creative |
First |
Johnny Karam of David Douglas High School |
Quilted Blanket Chest |
|
Casework, Creative |
Honorable Mention |
Josiah Whitney of Cedar Ridge High School |
Waterfall Desk |
|
Table, Traditional |
First |
Meredith Smith of Cedar Ridge High School |
Shadow |
|
Table, Traditional |
Honorable Mention |
Mary Van Dempsey of Cedar Ridge High School |
Flitter |
|
Table, Creative |
First |
Trevor Herbst of David Douglas High School |
Pedestal Table |
|
Table, Creative |
Honorable Mention |
Michael Hoff of David Douglas High School |
Leach Style Treadle Pottery Wheel |
|
Chair, Creative |
First |
John Maher of Princeton Day School |
Contour |
|
Special Theme: Special Needs Furnishings |
Honorable Mention |
Nate Cook of Bellaire High School |
Rocking Airplane |
|
Team Project |
First |
Emily Kale and Charles Brannen of Cedar Ridge High School |
Puzzle Me Pretty |
|
Team Project |
Honorable Mention |
Hannah Maxwell and Michael Moore of Cedar Ridge High School |
Hot ‘N Spicy |
Postsecondary Level:
|
Category |
Prize |
Student, School |
Project |
|
Casework, Traditional |
First |
Joshua Nickolds Williams of Rockingham Community College |
Newport Block Front Desk |
|
Casework, Traditional |
Honorable Mention |
Natalie Baum of Brigham Young University |
The Chicago |
|
Casework ,Traditional |
Honorable Mention |
Curtis Chilton of Fullerton College |
Night Stand |
|
Casework, Traditional |
Honorable Mention |
Jonathan Uecker of Fox Valley Technical College |
Curve Front Cabinet |
|
Casework, Creative |
First |
Mike Ferguson of University of Kentucky |
|
|
Casework, Creative |
Honorable Mention |
Reneé D. Shellhammer of University of Kentucky |
Skeleton-skin-transparency |
|
Table, Traditional |
First |
Scott Price of Cerritos College Art |
Deco Inspired Console Table |
|
Table, Creative |
First |
Kirsten Skinner of Miami University |
Wine Rack |
|
Table, Creative |
Honorable Mention |
Dan Overby of Rockingham Community College |
“My Feathered Friends” Demilune Table |
|
Chair, Traditional |
First |
Joshua Nickolds Williams of Rockingham Community College |
Newport Corner Chair |
|
Chair, Creative |
First |
Ben Johnson of Appalachian State University |
Stayin’ Alive |
|
Chair, Creative |
Honorable Mention |
Matthew Harrell of Georgia Institute of Technology |
Contemporary Dining Chair |
|
Upholstered, Traditional |
Honorable Mention |
Hamilton Trimm of Auburn University |
Horizon |
|
Upholstered, Creative |
First |
Ana Luisa Franco of Art Center College of Design |
Mommy & Me Seating |
|
Special Theme: Special Needs Furnishings |
First |
Tighe James Smalley of Appalachian State University |
Propeller Study Bench |
|
Special Theme: Special Needs Furnishings |
Honorable Mention |
Jonathan Nazareth Zabala of Art Center College of Design |
Flex Shelf System |
|
Team Project |
Honorable Mention |
Mathew Birtch and Jessica Lertvilai of Sheridan College |
Flex Folding Stool |
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