First thing’s first. A woodworking contest is never fair. You build things out of wood usually to make your home (or someone else’s home) beautiful and unique, not to get a prize. So it takes a lot of courage for people to take a project they’ve built, hand it over to us to display, and let strangers come look at it and form an opinion. That ain’t easy! Everyone who entered deserves to be commended for marshaling the spirit to put their hard work out there. So browse through all the pictures here, and hopefully you’ll be inspired by the works.
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
– Aristotle
What was this contest about?
The theme was simply “Wall Art,” and from there it was left up to interpretation so long as it fit within a 36″ x 36″ x 12″ space. We enjoy holding a competition mainly just to see what our customers are making and how they’re bringing a touch of beauty to the world. With that, we were floored by the astonishing amount of creativity. In the images below you’ll find everything from abstract sculpture to straight-forward furniture. There’s even a paper towel holder – and it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before.
How did the judging work?
Voting was open to the public, so anyone was welcome to cast a ballot. We didn’t ask for critiques, just a selection of 5 favorite pieces. If you voted, you had to choose 5 projects, no more and no less. So while you could, of course, vote for your own project or for the project of someone you know, I didn’t want the pool of ballots to get bombed unfairly. So pick five to keep the playing field level. As one entrant said, “I voted for the four I loved, and mine.” The voting was open for 3 days, and 207 people logged a vote.
Enough of that business! Here’s how it all added up.
Enjoy:
PRIZE: 14″ Oliver Bandsaw (value $1499)
Size: 21″ x 32″ x 8″
Woods: Eucalyptus, desert ironwood, bubinga, ash, walnut, poplar, sugar pine, African mahogany
Finish: Lacquer
Barry’s fascination with bees led him to create this impressively sized wall hanging that incorporates, sculpting, turning and flat work. In the end his 3-dimensional exploded rendering of a real life small scene caught the eye of nearly every person who came to the show.
Bees by Barry Richardson
Bees by Barry Richardson
Bees by Barry Richardson
PRIZE: Festool CXS Li Drill
Size: 34″ x 34″ x 7″
Woods: Mesquite
Finish: Varathane floor finish
This sculpture by Charles Taube exhibits extraordinary patience and skill. He laminated a blank from numerous pieces of desert mesquite and simply shaped, scraped, sanded and polished it flawlessly.
Loving Us by Charles Taube
PRIZE: Kreg Large Toolboxx Filled with Goodies
Size: 28″ x 16″ x 7″
Woods: Baltic Birch & aircraft grade plywood
Finish: Polyurethane
Gary cut the working gears and parts using a scroll saw. Considering the level or precision necessary to make the gearing operate correctly, Gary put in a lot of time and energy into this project.
Harrison Clock by Gary Tricka
Harrison Clock by Gary Tricka
Harrison Clock by Gary Tricka
Size: 35″ x 28″ x 7″
Woods: Mahogany, walnut, hard maple, olive
Finish: Tung oil & paste wax (board and frame); gloss lacquer (chess pieces)
What a challenging piece! Rick’s anniversary gift to his daughter and son-in-law was this immaculate wall hanging that first serves as a large magnetic chess board – hidden magnets allow the game to be played while hanging on the wall. He included several nice detail such as a drop down tray to hold the pieces as they’re removed from play, and a sliding “turn indicator” so a game can be played Or, special hardware lets the chess board to be detached from the frame and set down on a table.
Not to be left with an empty frame on the wall, removing the chess board also reveals a fantastic family portrait. Fourth place in this contest, but easily first place in this family.
Size: 16″ x 9″ x12″
Woods: African ribbon stripe sapele, Peruvian walnut, mappa burl veneer, black walnut
Finish: Mineral oil, Tried & True Original Wood Finish
True to traditional Japanese woodworking techniques, this light sconce is held together only by the integrity of its joinery with wedges and dowels. It’s even impressive by the numbers: 48 lap joints, 24 bridle joints, 24 miter joints, 4 mortise and through-tenons, and 10 dowel plugs and wedges. The bulb inside produces a gentle warm glow from behind the mappa burl veneer, and the wiring is entirely concealed within the mounting bracket.
Size: 31″ x 20″ x 2″
Woods: Hard maple
Finish: Lemon oil, spray lacquer
This comes from a custom made pattern, so you’ll never see another piece exactly like this one. The parts are cut out with a scroll saw, then just a selection is pulled out and stained one at a time and glued back into place to create the nuanced colors in eagle feathers.
Size: 16″ x 22″ x 3″
Woods: Quilted makore
Finish: Pre-catalyzed lacquer
Bill’s project looks amazing thanks first to the 3-dimensional appearance of the wild figure found in makore, and second to his ability to apply an absolutely perfect clear finish. His project is creative and beautiful.
Size: 36″ x 36″ x 12″
Woods: Poplar, maple, MDF, mahogany, walnut shells
Finish: Paint, lacquer & shellac
Here’s a project that will make you smile. It’s like an a still image snagged from an animated Pixar short. Six hand carved ants (wearing painted walnut shells as hard hats!) are busy cranking out what might become a remodel project for This Old House. Dale crafted little hammers, saws, a wheelbarrow, even cups of coffee and sprinkle donuts for the crew. His project isn’t just creative and funny, it’s also extremely well executed.Time to get to work!
Size: 17″ x 17″ x 3/4″
Woods: Black limba, teak, wenge
Finish: Tung oil
It takes a lot of precision and patience to craft a mosaic like this one. Mike did one amazing job keeping it all together and looking good.
Size: 36″ x 16″ x 2″
Woods: Cherry, walnut, maple, canarywood, purple heart, poplar, sirari, osage orange
Finish: Semi-gloss lacquer
Angled cuts and a pattern of color creates a 3-dimensional optical illusion in this abstract art. Brian gave this project a virtually perfect semi-gloss finish, too.
If you’ve made it this far, you need to check out all the projects too. Take a look, these are in no particular order:
Jacobsen Wall Clock by Bill Butler
Triangle Shelf by Jason McNamara
Greene & Greene Inspired Frame by Eric Percival
Memento of a Corporate Life by Joe Tripodi
Cross by Mandy Kersteter
Perpetual Calendar by Matthew Ogden
On The Inside Looking Out by Brianna Voron
How Time Flies by Ed Nelson
Red Seahorse by James Traskos
Rolling Pin Rack by Don Krug
Dart Board Cabinet with Darts by Eric Larsen
Coat and Hat Rack by Bill Pritchard
30" Wine Crate Wall Clock by Michael McKovich
Shaker Style Candle Box by Bill Malone
Broken Circle by Richard Slosky
Surfing Time by Greg Holman
Phoenix Not Quite Risen by Steve Jones
Ribbons of Time by Cass Carter
Abstract Weeping Cherry by Robert Frisbie
Shallow Wall Shelf by George "Grizz" Andrews
Southwest Paper Towel Holder by Rick West
What My Ancestors Taught Me of Plumb by Michael Fadel
Gato Class World War II Submarine by Dan Moss
Love Shelves by Karl Hagarty
Walnut Mirror by Eric Touhey
Visit Arizona by Suzanne Jordan
Angels Among Us by Linda Foley-Miller
Casper the Wall Lamp by Reeni Knudson
Mountain Time by Joe Mangrum
Wood Frame with Glass Art by John Beck
Pac-Man and Ghost by Ryan Nelson
Framed Shelf by Steven Gerometta
Sculpted Leg Wall Hanging Table by Dan Ball
Clock with Pendulum by Kenneth Clark
Beach Cottage Wall Mirror by Robert Zicafoose
Wall Clock by Edwin Depukat
Wall Mirror by Kathy Depukat
Ipe Tealight Candle Holder by Jacob Jendral
Hawaiian Wave by Jason White
Magazine and Tissue Rack by Ron Boe
Mesquite Mirror by Jeremy Randels
Mountain Vista by Dale Gillaspy
Candle Holder Knick Knack Shelf by Greg Kolb
Twisted by Chris Ewald
Rugged Cross by John Norberg
Small Hanging Cabinet by Thomas Fitzgerald
Wall Clock by Ron Beauregard
Art From The Heart by Ron Bacher
Zee Style Clock by Ricardo Garcia
Modern Landscape Cabinet by Michael Gogolen
Vice President of Operations – Woodworkers Source
We’re a family-owned lumber & woodworking supply retailer with 3 delightful stores in Arizona, and 35 friendly employees.
Mark oversees the company and creates tutorials on wood finishing and woodworking tips for hardwood lumber.
Woodworkers Source is a division of MacBeath Hardwood Co.
