OPPORTUNITIES DESIGN IN WOOD 2020
VENEERTECH CRAFTSMAN’S CHALLENGE
The 39th annual Design In Wood exhibition will be held, June 5-July 5, as part of the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar, CA. This is among the largest woodworking competitions in the U.S., drawing entries from across the country and viewed by over 1.5 million fair visitors. More than 350 entries are expected in 26 competition categories: Contemporary (furniture, accessories), Traditional (furniture, accessories), Art Furniture, Woodturning (face work, spindle, segmented, embellished/mixed media), Veneer & Marquetry (furniture, art), Made for Children, Model Building (scale, not-to-scale), Musical Instruments, Clocks, Scrollsaw (intarsia, fret work), and Woodcarving (animals, birds, marine animals, human form, open). Entries, especially, are sought for the three newer categories of Chairs, Furniture & Decorative Work, designed and executed by computer, both laser and/or CNC. Some 90 awards, totaling over $20,000, will be at stake, including the $1,000 Best of Show award. Besides category winners, overall prizes will reward design, craftsmanship, finishing, use of materials, and an award will be presented for the piece best reflecting the fair’s theme, Heroes’s Unite. Again, Woodworker West magazine will sponsor the People’s Choice Award voting. The 2020 entry deadline is May 1. Entry forms and information will be available at the website: www.sdfair.com/entry/designinwood or call: (858) 792-4207.
The Woodworking Network hosts the 16th annual Veneer Tech Craftsman’s Challenge. This national competition recognizes excellence in woodwork that features the use of natural veneer and wood products. Competition categories are: Architectural Woodworking, Cabinetry, Furniture, Marquetry, Specialty Items, and Student Designs. Entry deadline is June 1, with eligibility for a $1,000 bonus if entered by Mar. 31. Winners will be announced during the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta, GA in August. For info and to view past winners, visit the web site: www.judgify. me/2020-craftsmans-challenge or call: (800) 593-5601.
BLUE LINE ARTs Blue Line Arts in Roseville, CA is looking for work, in any medium for Feature Foyer, Nov. 20-Jan. 2. Selected 2D & 3D artists may show 10-14 pieces. Entry deadline is May 20. For info: www. bluelinearts.org/.
NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN FOLK ART The Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, IA hosts the 2020 National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition, July 3-25. The exhibit showcases contemporary artists creating folk art rooted in Norwegian traditions, including woodworking. The 2019 Best of Show and People’s Show Award went to Karen Rebholz of Madison, WI for her Hardanger Fiddle, Fornesbrunen. She also was honored with a Vesterheim Gold Medal, for points accumulated over successive years. She had studied Hardanger Fiddle Construction in Norway, under a Fellowship from the American-Scandinavian Foundation. Eleven other craftsmen were honored
DESIGN EMPHASIS 2020 Design Emphasis is the biennial showcase of furniture design by college and university students, held in conjunction with the IWF 2020 trade show (Aug. 25-28) in Atlanta, GA. Students compete in five categories: Seating, Case Goods, Commercial/Office/Hospitality, Furniture, Accent Furniture/Accent Tables, and Design Creativity. Finalists will be selected to display their work at the show for cash awards. Entry deadline is May 1. For more info, visit the web site: www.iwfatlanta.com or call: (404) 693-8333.
VOCATIONAL TEACHER grants The Center for Furniture Craftsmanship (CFC) in Rockport, ME offers a scholarship initiative, Teaching the Teachers. This program provides woodworking educational opportunities to vocational teachers working in economically-disadvantaged communities. Tuition, materials, travel, and lodging are offered to attend a CFC course. To apply, the teacher’s institution or non-profit must become an “Institutional Partner.” For info, email Ellen Dyer: ellen@woodschool.org or call: (207) 594-5611. in the woodworking category, including a Blue Ribbon awarded to Cecil Parker of Wales, WI for his inlaid Cane. The 2020 entry window is May 1-20. For info, visit the website: www.vesterheim.org or call: (563) 382-9681.
Karen Rebholz Hardanger Fiddle, Fornesbrunen. Premium Sitka Spruce top; Premium Flame Maple back, sides, and neck; Gabon Ebony, Mother of Pearl,bone, pegheds planetary shafts Page 18
Woodworker West
March-April, 2020
