Popular Woodworking Excellence Awards

[cyclopentadiene]

I have entered the Popular Woodworking Excellence Awards contest again this year with my music stand.







Although this piece looks simplistic, it was the most complex piece that I have ever built. It was one of my most satisfying pieces to complete as I used photos of the original Wharton Esherick piece from the NY met to scale the piece and developed the plans. I added the Maloof style joinery and the elevated shelf to "modernize" the original Esherick style and make the piece my own.

The voting begins on June 17. I will be interested to see if I can make it two years in a row, especially a my piece that won an award last year was one of the least favorite pieces I have ever built.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

It's a beautiful piece, Jeff. Good luck in the contest. When the voting begins, could you post a link for those of us who might miss it?

 

[pviser]

This does not at all look simplistic. The Maloof joinery was instantly recognizable and I can believe you when you say that this was a challenging piece. Very pleasing to the eye.

 

[chris_goris]

Good luck Jeff ! awesome work there!

 

[sawman101]

Very well crafted Jeff! It is definitely a show stopper. I look forward to the announcement of your award. :eusa_clap

 

[cyclopentadiene]

Voting has opened for the 2016 Readers Excellence Awards.

The link is:

http://popularwoodworking.upickem.net/engine/Votes.aspx?contestid=219877

I have entered my Music stand in the Miscellaneous: turnings, carvings, objects d'art located on page 4 and a Maloof side table (published in one of the NCWW calendars) in the tables category on page 5

 

[drw]

Jeff, two words: beautifully elegant! Also, the flowers make a good photographic backdrop.

 

[Kent Adams]

Just voted for you. You're in 2nd in the category. Hopefully more will vote for your entry.

 

[cyclopentadiene]

Thanks for the votes and comments. I am hoping for an editors choice award in one of the categories. The voting online is more of a how many friends do you have that will vote for your piece. The Popular Woodworking team selects their winners based on the work. For example, in the tables division, the table entitled End of my rope is amazing work and my Maloof table should not be the current leader in votes. The competition is fierce in the Casework division. In the Chairs, the circular seating has terrible photography but if you look at the detail and complexity, this is a true master and yet it has only 3 votes. The objects D' art is a catchall so the group is difficult to decide which is best as is based on interest.

I also believe that photography is important and my wife has a good eye for locations and taking photos. I live near Elon University and it has some excellent places for photos so I generally take my pieces there for outdoor shots. I am not sure why people always photograph their furniture indoors where lighting is poor or set up a white backdrop with lighting. I know the white backdrop shows just the piece but that is relatively boring.

I truly enjoy the live competitions such as State Fair or when Klingspor used to have the Woodworkers Showcase. State Fair has thousands of visitors each year and each year I have been given a list of names interested in purchasing my work (which I generally do not sell). The Klingspor Show was great because fellow NC woodworkers attended and it was a chance to meet one another and actually see the work. I really miss that show in particular for that reason.