The New Forest Trust, who hold an annual national Fine-Crafted Wood Competition at The New Forest & Hampshire County Show, have confirmed the judges for 2008. They are Roy Tam, Paul Gower and George Morgan. Three more prestigious professional furniture makers, all coming from diverse backgrounds, you would be hard put to find.
Roy Tam trained at the Royal College of Art and at John Makepeace's Hooke Park. He specialises in Low Impact Furniture, using ash thinnings, which are by-products of local managed woodlands. He was joint director of Trannon Furniture in Wilton, with eco-pioneer David Colwell. His simple style is timeless, and the products are made to last – important criteria for sustainable design. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of the Crafts Council's National Register of Makers, and a former member of the Chartered Society of Designers. He is also a senior lecturer in 3D Design at the University of Plymouth specialising in sustainability, a touring lecturer in sustainable design, an external examiner at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Paul Gower developed his passion for furniture following 10 years as an oil exploration geologist with BP. He studied design and fine furniture craftmanship at John Makepeace's Parnham College in Dorset following in the footsteps of its most famous graduate Lord Linley. Paul Gower Furniture was launched at Sotheby's in 1992, and has had exhibitions in Sotheby's Decorative Arts Today, Bonhams New York Contemporary Furniture Fair, Decorex and The Celebration of Craftsmanship. Elected Fellow of the Society Designer Craftsman in 1997 he was also selected for membership of Design Nation 2001. In 2006 he was became a Freeman of the Furniture Makers Company. Most clients are private individuals but he has also completed projects for Gordon Lindsay, The Saudi Royal Family, Furniture File for Credit Suisse Bank and O'Driscoll Design for Guinness Peat.
George Morgan founded Morgan Design in 1999 and has grown to specialise in cutting edge, innovative furniture design, developing a blend of contemporary and traditional skills. George was trained locally and completed one of the last Rural Development Commission funded Apprentice Schemes. Hence he was keen to help others and he started his own Apprentice Scheme in 2002, and has since taken on 6 apprentices. The scheme was developed to give opportunities to talented and focussed individuals to learn to work using traditional skills handed down through generations. George values apprentices as an essential investment for the sustainability of both his business and the furniture making industry. After developing agreements with local estates, his young team makes sustainable, bespoke products from what otherwise would be waste timber, wind felled and condemned timber is now 80 percent of morgandesigns working ethic. George, 2nd in National Rural entrepreneur 2007 believes that 21st century furniture making has to change so it be recognised for the amazing skill and design flare that it truly deserves.
The thinking behind holding these highly regarded furniture making competitions and having some of the top professionals as judges, was to encourage the use of the plentiful supply of New Forest timber for commercial, hobby or educational use. The Trust facilitated this Exhibition both for trainees entering the competition and professionals, because it believes that conservation of the New Forest requires a viable economy for those who maintain the livestock, woods and wildlife. Using trees available for harvest as a means of stimulating the local economy and encouraging wood related arts and crafts provides a sustainable economic stream of income.
All competitors will use primarily timber that has either come directly from the New Forest or sourced locally in the UK.
For all the information you need to enter the competition please go on to the web site of the New Forest Trust and follow the links – www.newforesttrust.org.uk .
