UCOL creations impress at Woodfest

UCOL creations impress at Woodfest

UCOL Furniture Design and Making students, staff and graduates triumphed at the National Woodskills Festival at Kawerau last weekend.

The festival is the country’s top furniture design and making competition.

Second year student Jori Quaedvlieg scored second place in the popular voted Bizarre Section with his marine themed table Nautical Directions. The laminated saligna table uses fluid shapes and careful sanding to resemble aged driftwood.
As a keen surfer, Jori’s many hours spent at the beach inspired his unique design that included old rope, nautical and weather instruments. “The ideas just came together,” he says.

Jori is “stoked” with his second place and as a first time entrant in a furniture competition, enjoyed the experience of being judged under national standards.

Jori was also awarded second in the Furniture Section, with UCOL Furniture graduate Rowan Dicks in first place.

Sam Riddiford, a second year Furniture Design and Making student received a highly commended award in the Furniture section.

Lecturer Andy Halewood was not to be outdone by his students, and won the Norske Scog Pine section of the Festival competition with a three drawer hall table. Titled Inspired, the hall table was inspired by his students during a design exercise in class.

Sixteen staff and students from the UCOL programme attended the three day festival at Kawerau.

Andy says the students’ success is all the more impressive because they were competing against some of the best crafts people and artists in New Zealand.

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 do well,” he says.

UCOL’s iconic Furniture Design and Making course is the only one at diploma level offered in New Zealand where furniture making remains on the skill shortage list.

ENDS

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