No matter what kind of woodworking you do, if it uses veneer, there is an opportunity for you in the 2024 Veneer Tech Craftsman’s Challenge with thousands of dollars in prizes for exemplary woodwork using natural veneer in a wide variety of categories.
The designer, craftsman, or manufacturer who enters the best work submitted in the view of a panel of expert judges wins a Grand Prize of $1,500.

In addition, there are separate category prizes of $500 each for Architectural, Cabinetry, Furniture, Marquetry, Specialty Products, and Student Work.

It’s easy to enter online to post your entry, including photos. Entry deadline is June 28 for this year’s contest. Winners will be announced at IWF in Atlanta.

In the past, judges have repeatedly mentioned how important quality photographs were to their decision, so entrants should read some photographic advice from Scott Grove (https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/community/project-gallery/image-ever…), who is a past multiple winner in the contest and has served several times as a judge.

Dennis Zongker captured the Grand Prize in the 2023 Veneer Tech Craftsman’s Challenge with an Art Deco styled music box that wowed the judges with its superlative craftsmanship, thoughtful use of veneer, and tremendous attention to detail.

Besides Zongker’s Grand Prize win, awards were also announced for Architectural Woodworking, Cabinetry, Furniture, Marquetry, Specialty Products, and Student Work. Some of the standout category winners:

Spider Johnson, Tesoro Design earned the top prize in the Architectural Woodwork category for a 7x8-foot tableau called Journey from Cuzco. Timothy Schefter said he had not used veneer before attempting this massive project involving 195 doors, drawers, and panels for a total of 644 square feet that won the cabinetry prize. Styled after a piece that was probably made for one of Marie Antoinette’s palaces, the “Marquetry of Cubes Ladies Desk” by Steven Lash, is a masterpiece of subtle complexity in classical lines that won the furniture category. 

Read more about past winners, or learn more about the 2024 contest and enter online. 

Originally created by Veneer Technologies to promote the use of veneer in woodworking, the Veneer Tech Craftsman’s Challenge is now owned and conducted by CCI Media LLC, the parent company of Woodworking Network and FDMC magazine. Veneer Tech continues to sponsor the contest.