Star line-up for teachers at NZ Centre For Fine Woodworking

Left to right: Eliot Brand, Dream Steamer; Saul Parkinson, Steam Bent Table; Peter Fletcher, Dippy Side Table. Photos: Daniel Allen

In 2019 and 2020 students undertaking the full time Furniture Makers’ Programme at New Zealand’s Centre For Fine Woodworking can look forward to a stellar cast of teachers. This year the team includes lead tutor David Haig, Thorkild Hansen, Reed Hansuld (Canada) and David Upfill-Brown (Australia). Next year David Haig and Thorkild Hansen will be joined by Canadians Adrian Ferrazzutti and Michael Fortune.

The programme is a 32 week intensive that fast tracks the mastery of fine woodworking skills and processes. Students are trained in a range of techniques they will apply to making furniture of their own design. At the end of the course each student will have created a collection of pieces that will be the foundation of their own portfolio. Last year's tutors included David Haig, Michael Fortune, Thorkild Hansen, Brian Reid, Roy Schack, David Trubridge and Geoff Korver.

Work by the seven graduates of the 2018 Furniture Makers Programme is on display at The Refinery Artspace in Nelson until January 12, 2019. You can see a gallery of their work and of past year students on the school’s website.

At the opening of the exhibition the Mayor of Nelson, Rachel Rees was invited to select her Mayor's Award which this year went to Josephine Jelicich for her elegant Pipi side table (shown above) made from tawhai (NZ beech). Eliot Brand's Dream Steamer chair in English ash and silky oak was also highly commended.

This year’s graduate exhibition was dedicated to the late Lionel Jefcoate who was honoured as a ‘a perfectionist and a craftsman in a way which transcends function and form to become true art. In his hands, a piece of wood became something else, something magical and fluid, and his eye for details and design and his ability to bring those designs and patterns to life was truly special’.

In addition to the full time course the Centre For Fine Woodworking offers a range of diverse short courses. More information at www.cfw.co.nz