September 16, 2011 – November 22, 2011
Regeneration: Fine Woodworkers Under 30 opened on September 16, 2011 at the Messler Gallery of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine. A co-production of the nonprofit Center and Fine Woodworking magazine, Regeneration is a national, juried exhibition intended to encourage the growth of the next generation of creative woodworkers and advance the careers of those with exceptional promise.
In all, 150 entrants submitted 277 objects for consideration in the categories of Studio Furniture, Reproduction Furniture, Turning, and Boxes & Containers. Twenty-two of these objects were accepted into the show by a jury consisting of John Dunnigan, Professor of Furniture Design at the Rhode Island School of Design; Garrett Hack, Vermont furniture maker and author; Bill Hunter, California studio wood artist; and Anissa Kapsales, Associate Editor of Fine Woodworking. “The work we selected demonstrates the extent to which skill is alive and well and relevant in our culture,” comments John Dunnigan, “It’s a strong show.”
Successful entrants are Christopher Atwood, from Clifton, VA; Nate Blaisdell from Somerville, ME; Virginia Blanchard from Pelham, NY; Cale Caboth from Mt. Pleasant, IA; George Dubinsky from Yardley, PA, Domenic Fiorello from Rochester, NY; Russell Gale from Asheville, NC; Jordan Goodman from Chicago, IL; Dan Jessel from Burlington, ONT; Bryan Klotz from Brooklyn, NY; Brandon Kowalski from Atascadero, CA; Michael Kowalski from Marlborough, MA; Brett MacLearnsberry from Poulsbo, WA; Mickey McCann from Morristown, NJ; Michelle Myers from Boalsburg, PA; Eric Oransky from Freeport, ME; Kent Perdue from Gladys, VA; Nick Preneta from Northport, MI; Jason Shirey from Sewickley, PA; Colin Tury from Sterling Heights, MI; and Steven Vowles from Stirling, ONT.
In tandem with the formal jury process, all of the submissions were presented for a public vote on Facebook from April 3-14 to determine the recipient of the Peoples’ Choice Award. With approximately 1600 people voting, the winning entry was Phil Leonard’s Dining Chair.
The success of the exhibition has been facilitated by the generosity of corporate and private sponsors. Five Exhibition Sponsors—Fine Woodworking, IRWIN Tools; Woodcraft, the Rohlen Foundation, and one anonymous benefactor—are providing exhibitors with free round-trip shipping for their work. Eight Awards Sponsors—Powermatic/Jet, Porter Cable, Woodcraft, DMT, IRWIN Tools, Freud, Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, and Festool—have ensured an array of fabulous prizes for entrants, exhibitors, and award winners.
