Im in Las Vegas right now at the AWFS show (Association of Woodworking and Furnishing Suppliers). As a furniture guy, I gravitate toward the Fresh Wood competition held every other year at AWFS. High school students and college students of woodworking bring pieces to the show for display. I am always impressed by the talent.
Timothy Keating from Cedar Ridge High School created the piece that caught my attention. Wandering Roses is Keating’s entry. This table has more than 700 pieces inlay. Six roses are interwoven with vines and set in a tiger maple edgebanding on a round top table. The table’s leaf was installed at the show. Each rose is made up of 75 sand-shaded pieces and the base of the table simulates roots (you can just see the table base in the photo).
Jonathan Cox, a Brigham Young University student, built another piece that I was drawn to. His low table design is titles Split Personality; the piece has a granadillo top with a carved natural edge. The tabletop is cantilevered, and attaches to the pedestal via a double-pinned double bridle joint.
Im especially impressed with high schools that maintain woodworking programs , thank you for allowing Americas youth to continue a craft that we all want to see flourish. If I remember correctly, there were 20 entries from high schools and 30 entries from colleges or universities to this years competition. While most of the entries could be considered modern, there were some antique reproductions.
