ATLANTA, GA: Stating simply that “veneer is the only possible material I can use to achieve my design goals” for his “Ski Media Cabinets,” Scott Grove of Green Grove Design, Rochester, NY, earned grand prize and took the Cabinetry category in the Sixth Annual Veneer Tech Craftsman’s ChallengeTM, bringing him $5000 including a bonus for early entry. Certainly Wood of East Aurora, NY, distributor for the project, receives a cash award of $2000, and sales representative Greg Engle receives $1000, in recognition of their participation in the supply chain. Grove’s cabinets featured a variety of veneers including amboyna burl, quilted maple, sapele and wenge.

“The quality of creativity was incredible,” commented Robert Lang, executive editor of Popular Woodworking Magazine, one of three judges for this year's competition that rewards excellence in woodwork featuring natural veneer and wood product applications. “The entrants showed us things you couldn’t have thought could be done with veneer. The very imaginative work impressed us all.”

“The variety was certainly amazing,” said Patrick Molzahn, vice-president of the WoodLINKS USA board of directors and cabinetmaking/ millwork program director at Madison Area Technical College. “Those who were successful had best stated their goals and approach. The grand prize winning entry had phenomenal execution and attention to detail.”

The other category winners in this year’s competition, each receiving $1000, were: Architectural Woodworking, Albert Grant, Albert S. Grant Fine Woodworking and Design, Melrose, CT, for “Bird's Eye Maple Residential Library;” Furniture, Abdolhay Parnian of Parnian Furniture, Scottsdale, AZ, for "Sunset Bed” and also, in Store Fixtures, Abdolhay Parnian for “Parnian Reception Desk;” Specialty Items (also recipient of the judges' award for special artistic merit), Rob Milam of VeneerImages, Atlanta, GA, for "Grace,” a portrait rendered in veneer; and Student Design, Christy Oates, San Diego State University, for “Wallpaper Chair.”

Nine entries earned honorable mention: Mark Bernhard, Bernhard Woodwork, Northbrook, IL, for “Garrard Jewelers” store fixtures; Tom Knoebel, Beach Cabinets, LLC, Melbourne, FL, for “KOA Cabinetry;” student Pattrick Loew, Hastings High School, Hastings, MI, for “Albany Cutter Sleigh;” Malcolm McDowell Tunnicliffe of Art Lights, Torreon Co., Mexico, for specialty item “Cascade of Hanging Orbs;” Earl Kelly of Earl Kelly Furniture, Pensacola, FL, for his “Coco Leaf” table; John Harper, EMC Woodworking, Phoenix, AZ, for “Humidor;” Ramon Valdez, Exotic Woodworks, Bloomfield, NM, for writing desk “Emma;” Chuck Sharbaugh, Holly, MI, for furniture cabinets “Pivots and Rows;” and Scott Grove, Green Grove Design, Rochester, NY, for “Loral.”
Impartial third-party experts from the fields of woodworking media, design education and architectural woodworking judge the Veneer Tech Craftsman's Challenge. Along with Lang and Molzahn, the 2010 panel included Robert Stout, president-elect of the Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) and president of architectural woodworking firm RLS Commercial Interiors of Wendell, NC.

“The pieces were outstanding in workmanship and exhibited the use of a variety of components,” said Stout. “We were pleased by the high level of expertise.”
John Varner, Veneer Tech vice president, reiterates that a key purpose of the Craftsman’s Challenge is to recognize all the people in the veneer distribution chain as well as the designer. “We really consider this as woodworking’s best opportunity to promote industry creativity and strengthen supply relationships.”

The Veneer Tech Craftsman's Challenge entries for 2011 will be accepted beginning September 30, 2010. The results of next year's competition will be announced at AWFS® Las Vegas.

Veneer Technologies Incorporated, located in Newport, NC, is one of the industry's largest manufacturers of high quality face veneer, sheet veneer and wood edgebanding products. Veneer Tech sources wood species worldwide.

SOURCE: Veneer Technologies Inc.