Exhibit spotlights N.H. artisans

Author:

Members of the New Hampshire Furniture Masters Association are having their work displayed July 20 through Oct. 10 at The Fells Historic Estate and Gardens on Lake Sunapee in Newbury, N.H.

Richard Vasquez's koa and mango wood table "One" won the Hawaii's Woodshow Best of Show award.

Participating members include Gary Armstrong, Ted Blachly, Jon Brooks, John Cameron, Jeffrey Cooper, Garrett Hack, David Lamb, David Leach, Wayne Marcoux, Terry Moore, Richard Oedel, Brian Reid, Jeff Roberts, Brian Sargent, Bill Thomas and Thom Walsh.

Dating back to 1891, the estate was the summer retreat of John Milton Hay, private secretary to Abraham Lincoln and later Secretary of State under Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Hay’s son, Clarence, upgraded the estate’s Main House and created the surrounding gardens.

This is a collaborative show between the Lake Sunapee Region Center for The Arts and the estate.

Hawaii’s Woodshow

Hawaii’s Woodshow, the 19th annual statewide juried woodworking show of the Hawaii Forest Industry Association, was held April 9-17 at the Honolulu Academy of Arts Academy Art Center in Honolulu.

Jurors for the show were wood artist Derek Bencomo, wood artist Andy Buck and educator and artist Kaili Chun. Only Hawaiian-grown wood works of art are displayed.

Ricardo Vasquez won Best of Show honors for the second straight year.

Other award-winners were:

• Awards of Excellence: R.W. Rollo Scheurenbrand (acoustic guitar) and Alan Wilkinson (occasional table)

• Furniture: Jarred Yates

• Musical Instrument: David Gomes

• Novice: Richard Willson

• Sculpture: Michael Patrick Smith

• Turning: Aaron Hammer

Francisco Clemente Destiny, Edwin Ikeda, Masako Schwalbenitz, Tak Yoshino and Smith earn honorable mention votes.

The Kent Award, which recognizes and encourages the most promising first-time entrant, went to Richard Willson. The Skolmen Award, rewarding creative promotion of woods from lesser-known, non-native trees, was given to Loren Wilson.

This bow front chest by Terry Moore will be on exhibit through Oct. 10 at The Fells Historic Estate and Gardens.

The association promotes healthy and productive forests and a sustainable forest industry. In addition to its annual woodworking exhibition, the association sponsors the “Hawaii’s Wood” trademark, manages several community forests and serves as an advocate for Hawaii’s diverse forest industry.

Woodpalozza

The Whidbey Island (Wash.) Woodworkers Guild will present its eighth annual Woodpalooza exhibition, showcasing recent creative works by 18 of its most talented members.

The free exhibition is scheduled for Sept. 3 through Oct. 3 on Whidbey Island. An opening reception will be held Sept. 2 at Taste for Wine in Langley, Wash.

The guild seeks to support professional woodworkers as well as inspire and educate the budding amateur and provide awareness to the general public of the skills available locally from its members. The guild includes makers of furniture, cabinetry, architectural woodwork, turners, clock makers, sawyers, carvers, restorers, musical instrument makers, boatbuilders and refinishers.

Contacts

Hawaii’s Woodshow. Tel: 808-933-9411. www.hawaiiforest.org

The Fells Historic Estate and Gardens, P.O. Box 276, Newbury, NH 03255. Tel: 603-763-4789. www.thefells.org

Whidbey Island Woodworkers Guild, P.O. Box 230, Greenbank, WA 98253. www.whidbeywoodworkers.com

This article originally appeared in the August 2011 issue.