Ryan O'Keefe, Whiskey For Two (STUDENT 2025)

Student:

Tertiary

Name of school or tertiary institution, name of woodworking teacher (if you have one), and name of photographer:

TAFE NSW, teachers Matthew Taylor, Amiee Ryan. photographer Ryan O'Keefe

Country

Australia

“Whiskey for Two” is the first piece I fully designed and built myself. A small cabinet crafted with an emphasis on sustainability, memory, and reuse. The main body is made from Northern silky oak, salvaged from a flood-damaged wardrobe. The drawer front and interior dividers are Himalayan white ash, a fast-growing species considered invasive along much of Australia’s east coast. This particular timber was destined for the firewood pile at my father’s house. The glass is repurposed from an old front door. I left the interior of the drawer rough, with visible nail holes and traces of bark, as a quiet nod to the rescued nature of the materials. This piece isn’t just about reuse. It’s about acknowledging the past lives of things and giving them a new one with care and purpose.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.