The Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers® (AWFS®) is now accepting entries for the 2013 Fresh Wood Student Woodworking Competition. The competition, which will be showcased at the 2013 AWFS®Fair, July 24-27, in Las Vegas, is open to full-time students in an accredited high school or post-secondary woodworking or related program and part-time students in an accredited post-secondary woodworking or related program that are transitioning into a career in woodworking or design. Post-secondary schools include colleges and universities as well as trade, art and union apprenticeship schools. Entry applications will be accepted until May 15, 2013.
The competition has six categories at both school levels: case goods, chairs, open, production/contract, reproduction, and tables. Entries will be rated by a panel of judges that represent different aspects of the industry such as design, education, manufacturing and retail. Judges’ scores will determine the finalist pieces that will be on display at the AWFS®Fair. AWFS® covers shipping and the majority of costs to bring students and their teachers to the Fair for the final round. All forms and guidelines can be on AWFSFair.org.
Competition Display part of Exhibit Hall “Gallery”
At the 2013 AWFS®Fair, the display of Fresh Wood finalists will be located in the Gallery, an area in the supply hall that includes the AWFS bookstore, the theater and a lounge. This gives attendees and exhibitors an opportunity to network with the students and teachers in the competition and expose the students to the different companies and products within the industry.
AWFS is scheduled every other year. At the 2011 show, Woodcraft’s Woodworking Adventures caught up with several students and their projects,
2011 Fresh Wood Featured Creative and Innovative Pieces
The 2011 Fresh Wood competition showcased 41 unique finalists selected from 137 entries. Entries came from 50 high schools and colleges, 15 of which were entering pieces for the first time. Many of the students in the competition are pursuing degrees or careers related to the industry, primarily in furniture design or production.
The Best of Show winner was the visually serene Katana Bench (left), by Candice Groenke from College of the Redwoods in California. She has since graduated from the program and is currently pursuing a career as a fine furniture craftswoman. The People’s Choice winner, selected by attendee and exhibitor votes, was the trippy and complex Table for Dalí (right) by Adam Kessler, a student at Buffalo State College in New York. He is currently an Engineer Tech and Estimator at a furniture manufacturer in New York.
Other 2011 winners included musical instruments,
a complex shelf operated with fishing wire, gaming tables,
…and an RTA chair that can fold and ship flat. AWFS distributed more than $20,000 in prize money for 29 award winning pieces.
Finalists Are Judged On-Site
Final judging will take place on Tuesday, July 23 at the 2013 AWFS®Fair. Winners will then be announced at the Fresh Wood awards ceremony, which will take place on Friday, July 26, 2013 in the AWFS theater and is open to all attendees and exhibitors. First place, second place and honorable mention awards may be given out in each category and at each school level. A “Best of Show” award will also be selected from all first place winners. A People’s Choice award, for which all AWFS®Fair attendees and exhibitors have the opportunity to vote, will also be given. All finalists will be featured in the sixth volume of the publication Fresh Wood, which will be available for purchase in late 2013.
All of the forms and guidelines for the 2013 Fresh Wood Competition can be accessed at AWFSFair.org in the “competitions” section or by contacting Adria Torrez at AWFS (800) 946-2937 or adria@awfs.org.
About AWFS
The full-scale international AWFS®Fair, scheduled for Wednesday – Saturday, July 24-27, 2013 in Las Vegas, has become a critical hub for international commerce in the woodworking industry. The AWFS®Fair brings together the entire home and commercial furnishings industry, including manufacturers and distributors of machinery, hardware, lumber, construction materials and other suppliers to the furniture, cabinet manufacturers and custom woodworkers. For more information on the AWFS®Fair, please visit: AWFSFair.org.
We met with Adria at the AWFS 2011 Fair and she talked to us about the organization and school involvement across the U.S. and Canada,
Donate a $1.00 to fund and promote young, aspiring woodworkers. Woodcraft’s pledge to match every donation, up to $10,000, means every dollar you donate has the potential to double in value for the Fresh Wood program. If you would like to help the Fresh Wood Competition students, click on the site below to donate.
Thank YOU for helping make wood work for all these students and for the future of woodworking.
auf Wiedersehen…Frank
