Perfection in a table wins top award

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Click to enlarge

Perfection in a table wins top award

An innovative occasional table by UCOL student Richard Morris took first prize for furniture at the National Wood Skills Festival held recently in Kawerau.

Richard is a second year student, studying for the Diploma in Furniture Design and Making, a diploma that is unique to UCOL.

His delicate-looking but functional occasional table was made from Swamp Rimu inlaid with Black Poplar. He says the design and the making went well. “But then towards the end I looked at the surface of the top of the table and realised it wasn’t quite perfect. So I did the whole top again – and then we had a potential winner.”

Lecturer Andy Halewood organised the UCOL trip to the Kawerau festival, held from 7 to 9 September, taking along nine first-year students “for the experience.” He says the competition is a prestigious test of skill in fine furniture design and making, and attracts leading artists in the field. “So you have to show real skill and talent to win,” he says. He describes Richard as a “great student, with excellent craftsmanship and innovative ideas.”

He is the second UCOL student to win the Furniture section and Andy himself took first prize in the Pine section in 2005.

Richard is a mature student who was previously a butcher but wanted a career change. Two years ago he moved from Waihi to Wanganui to do the UCOL diploma; he buses to Palmerston North every day, while his wife teaches in Wanganui. He says he will use his $1500 prize money to buy new tools and complete repairs to his truck. His plan is to set up his own furniture shop when he has completed his diploma.

ENDS

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