Celebration of Craftsmanship Exhibition - 20th-29th August

[Peter Sefton]

Hi all - the Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design Exhibition starts this weekend Saturday 20th to Monday 29th August. Opening times 10 am-4 pm.
For those who have not been before it is the collection of work by 70 of the best furniture designer makers on display in Cheltenham. http://www.celebrationofcraftsmanship.com/index.aspx

I will be at the exhibition most afternoons around the chair making competition, so if you make it to the show, come and say hello

Cheers Peter

 

[Steve Maskery]

HI Peter, Jason
I think I'm moving house (again) tis week, so unfortunately I won't be able to make it. But for anyone else who has never been, I can say it is a must if you have any interest at all in contemporary craftsmanship. I always come away enthused and eager to get cracking again.
Of course, not everything is to one's own personal taste, but even that which is not is so obviously well executed that it gladdens the heart to see that traditional skills are still prevalent and thriving in a modern market.

Best wishes for a very successful week,
Steve

 

[Good Surname or what ?]

SWMBO and I went to the private viewing last night. As always I came away even more aware of my own lack of skill, time to practice, creativity ....

It sounds as though I should be miserable doesn't it. Instead I'm elated. Such fantastic work and SWMBO kept her purse closed last night , except to pick up the hotel bill this morning (like last year we decided to make it a holiday weekend).

If you can find the time to go you won't be disappointed, except perhaps with the chair competition. So often, form seems to dominate over function. Surely the worst outcome for a chair (hammer)

 

[Peter Sefton]

HI Peter, Jason
I think I'm moving house (again) tis week, so unfortunately I won't be able to make it. But for anyone else who has never been, I can say it is a must if you have any interest at all in contemporary craftsmanship. I always come away enthused and eager to get cracking again.
Of course, not everything is to one's own personal taste, but even that which is not is so obviously well executed that it gladdens the heart to see that traditional skills are still prevalent and thriving in a modern market.

Best wishes for a very successful week,
Steve

Hi Steve

I hope the move goes well, some photos here from Jason showing some of the competition winners. I helped judge the Best of British Timber Award with Nick Gibbs the editor of British Woodworking Magazine http://www.britishwoodworking.com/. The winner was Erich Fichtner’s scalloped blanket chest made of London Plane and Irish Black Walnut.
“Highly Commended” went to Peter Hall and Son Ltd for the Ripple Olive Ash, Bog Oak and Cumbrian Slate writing table and Dylan Pym Furniture for “The Pumpkin”, with a great use of some English Elm and Chestnut.

The Best in Show was awarded by The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers, whose Judges included Andrew Varah, John Makepiece, Deyan Sudjic, Geoffry Harcourt and Sophy Roberts. The Winner was Waywood from Oxfordshire with an understated sideboard made from Fumed Oak and Pear which may like all great pieces, looked straightforward at first but the more you look the more questions it brings for the maker to answer; no balance veneers, fumed outside/clean inside, solid doors not framed. All things that Joyce would not recommend! But it works and it is beautiful.

If you enjoy wood please go and look and enjoy.

Cheers Peter

PS sorry the photo's are in the wrong order

 

[Peter Sefton]

If you can find the time to go you won't be disappointed, except perhaps with the chair competition. So often, form seems to dominate over function. Surely the worst outcome for a chair (hammer)[/quote]

Phil

Sorry you were disappointed with the chair competition, a lot of craftsmen spent many hours developing their designs to bring them to the show to be voted on by the general public; the ultimate test of design and craftsmanship. With such an open brief, a chair can be for so many occasions; dining, relaxing, rocking or a hall chair (more for admiring than long term sitting). I was personally really pleased the makers took up the challenge and produced such diverse designs to open our eyes to the many forms and constructions that we can produce from wood; long may they push the boundaries.

Cheers

Peter

 

[CHJ]

...PS sorry the photo's are in the wrong order

Next time click the "Place inline" tab next to the File Name when uploaded, they will then appear in the order you uploaded.

You can move the attachment call

[attachment=0]DSCN*****.JPG[/attachment]

where you like in the editing window if you want to change things around.

 

[Peter Sefton]

Thanks Chas

 

[Good Surname or what ?]

If you can find the time to go you won't be disappointed, except perhaps with the chair competition. So often, form seems to dominate over function. Surely the worst outcome for a chair (hammer)

Phil

Sorry you were disappointed with the chair competition, a lot of craftsmen spent many hours developing their designs to bring them to the show to be voted on by the general public; the ultimate test of design and craftsmanship. With such an open brief, a chair can be for so many occasions; dining, relaxing, rocking or a hall chair (more for admiring than long term sitting). I was personally really pleased the makers took up the challenge and produced such diverse designs to open our eyes to the many forms and constructions that we can produce from wood; long may they push the boundaries.

Cheers

Peter

I'm sure that designing a chair for a competition that both looks good and works is tough ! It's just that THIS YEAR there was nothing (in the way of chairs) that I coveted and wanted to take home. Last year was much different. SWMBO and I squabbled over what we would spend the (hypothetical) lottery win on :lol:

Great exhibition though.
Phil

 

[user 5024]

I have visited every Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design ever since Jason Heap has organised it and I have never been disappointed.
It is not often that you get to see such fantastic work and be allowed to open the doors and pull out the drawers.

I strongly recommend anyone with an interest in furniture to try to get there next year.

I did want to take a chair home with me. It was Matthew Coutts's Reading Chair.
At first sight I loved the design but thought that the back was not tall enough. Then I sat in it and realised that it was really comfortable.
It is not a chair for falling asleep in ( I already have a well used chair for that ) It is a chair for being awake in, for reading or browsing on a laptop, or as I am doing now posting a Forum reply.

You see I was the lucky recipient of a call from Jason last night telling me that my postcard had been pulled out of the hat and the chair is now mine.

I now have a daily reminder that I need to improve my skills.

 

[Peter Sefton]

Lucky you Dave,
Good to see the chair has gone to someone that appreciates it, Mathew is a relatively young maker and very talented indeed. He was very pleased that his chair had done so well in the competition and his mum was over the moon! Sadly for us he moved abroad on Tuesday to join his girl friend and to start a new furniture making job. He is very much hoping to be back at CCD next year to take up his prize of free exhibition space which we at the School are pleased to sponsor.
John Luff’s Oak rocking chair also did very well in the competition beating off some of the more established designer makers. Jason is doing so well in helping to bring on new and younger makers who have struggled in the past to get into some very prestigious exhibitions, of which CCD must be the best of British furniture making; long may it continue.

Peter

 

[Ollie78]

I went to this show for the first time this year and I was greatly impressed with the work for both design and quality of construction.
It is really inspiring to see people making beautifull furniture in this disposable society.
I will definately be going every year from now on, maybe I will be good enough to enter some work myself in a year or two. This is my new goal.

Ollie