The centrepiece of West Australia’s annual Wood Show, this year at the Claremont Showgrounds from August 7–9, is the Out of the Woods (OOTW) exhibition mounted by the Fine Wood Work Association (FWWA).
The FWWA was founded some 28 years ago with the aiming of promoting woodcraft in all its diversity. To this end, monthly meetings and workshops are organised throughout the year, however since 2003, the FWWA’s major public event is the Out of the Woods exhibition.
This year, some 40 of the association’s 120 members will be involved in mounting, displaying, judging, awarding and manning the exhibition.
Traditionally entries tend to pile in at the end. ‘This year is no different to any other as most people leave it till the last minute to enter’, said exhibition curator Mike Wiggins, ‘either because it’s the first time they’ve done, or even the first time they’ve put a piece into any show’.
There are seven categories across which members and school students can enter with sponsored prizes on offer for all. For the members, without doubt the icing on the cake would be to win the Gordon Ward Perpetual Trophy, because it’s peer recognition of achievement, explained Mike.
Getting school students involved in the exhibition and in woodworking in general is a focal point of the FWWA’s efforts. ‘There’s an enormous enthusiasm in the school kids that we’re trying to encourage and that’s very satisfying for us’, Mike said. ‘Part of the problem is that funding for the design and technology areas has been cut in the public sector so we’re struggling against the tide to a certain extent…but we’re trying to get the profile up so we can make the point to the education department how this benefits the schools and the kids as well as providing a public exhibition.’
As well as the OOTW exhibition the FWWA provide numerous demonstrations: this year handcutting dovetails, veneering, tool fettling, turning lidded boxes, as well as marquetry, French polishing and carving.
Overall the greatest trend observed over the years in the exhibition has been in ‘the sheer quality and diversity of the work’, said Mike. This year’s student entry judges are Martin Burgoyne, Tony Fragomeni and Tony Brown. In the adult section, Vaughan Richmond, Warren Murphy and David Elliot will make the hard choices, however a People’s Choice award means that if you visit the exhibition you can also have your say.
For more info about the Fine Wood Work Association (FWWA) see www.fwwa.org.au
For exhibition info email Mike Wiggins at ootw.organizer@gmail.com or phone 0408 679 307
Below: Starburst by Ian Houghton, First Prize Winner of Out of the Woods exhibition 2014.
