Meet Andrew Ward: award winning furniture maker and designer

Andrew Ward is a Melbourne-based furniture designer, maker and carpenter who has undertaken a diverse range of furniture commissions, shop fit-outs, and architectural renovations. In 2024 he was Overall Winner for Maker of the Year, presented by Carbatec.

Can you tell us a little about your background?

Growing up in rural Hamilton, Victoria, I lived an outdoor lifestyle surrounded and inspired by nature. From a young age, working with tools was something that I was drawn to. Countless weekends were spent in the shed, sifting through rusty drawers and shelves, optimistically looking for that one last bolt to finish a billy cart or finding enough scrap wood to make a ladder for a treehouse.

Year 11 was where my passion for woodworking became very obvious. My first big project was a two metre square dining table made of melunak. I spent every lunchtime for months carefully sanding and detailing, and got lost in the slow and meditative process watching something materialise from a pile of rough sawn boards.

What was your first job?

After completing VCE, I moved to Melbourne where my interest in woodworking helped secure a job as workshop manager at a ski shop. My role primarily involved grinding and waxing the bases of skis and snowboards to a high polish using specialised diamond dressed wetstone and ceramic tooling. Although slightly off-course, this enabled me to continue to gain more fluency with hand skills as the role was very manual and hand tool based.

Andrew Ward, Barkly Table, Tas oak. Overall and category winning entry for Maker of the Year 2024. Photo: Alex McLaren

How did you come to work in Japan?

My work eventually took me to the ski fields of Japan working in Hokkaido
in ski boot sales in a somewhat niche and specialised role, as boots are sold custom fit and modified using an array of unique tooling. The role was surprisingly creative and required lots of problem solving and out of the box thinking, a component of the work I really enjoyed.

The following season I was tasked with the management and small fit-out of a new shop near Nagano. Although in hindsight a rather shonky fit-out, something really awakened in me through the build process. I had been somewhat aimless in my career pursuits up until this point, but it became obvious to me that working with wood was my path to fulfilment. I then decided to look for a carpentry apprenticeship on my return to Melbourne.

Barkly Table maquette. Photo: Anthony McKee

Did the years in Japan shape your design style or methods of work?

Being predominantly self-taught has meant my path has been very slow, sometimes ruminating on a process, technique, or design idea for years before approaching it head on. I think subconsciously my time spent in Japan influenced the reductive nature in my design and production methods. I like my work to present as uncomplicated with thought deeply placed on material selection, grain layout and the sensory experience when interacting with a piece. There is such a powerful feeling of honour and pride felt for a life built around craft in Japan. I find that kind of passion and dedication very inspiring.

Can you tell us a little more about the winning Barkly Street table design?

For most commissions I will produce a maquette as part of my design process and as something tangible to present to clients to inspect and comment on. I find this helps with managing client expectations, dialling in proportions and connection details.

The scale of the piece played a big role in my design direction, and I moved towards the split top for both aesthetic and manufacturing reasons. The seam down the middle removes some of the visual weight of the piece and gives a communal feeling to a wide table. The sliding Susan is a vehicle for connection and sharing which was very important to the clients as they love entertaining.

I find the homogeneous nature of Tassie oak can be a bit overwhelming en masse. The seam, rectangular cut-outs in the base and brass accents allow the piece to absorb and reflect light in a way that gives lightness to such a large piece. The solid brass sections needed to slide effortlessly, and kangaroo leather was a perfect addition as it’s thin enough to be discreet and very durable.

Andrew Ward, Eclipse table, ebonised Tas oak. Shortlisted for Maker of the Year 2023. Photo: Alex McLaren

What’s taught you the most in terms of improving your skills?

I tend to home in on my interests, consuming any information I can get my hands on and thinking deeply before acquiring a new skill, approaching a new technique or design idea. Although somewhat of a slow burn, this has allowed me to resolve design and construction methods quickly when the time comes to make a piece.

The sensory experience is something that is very important to me in my work, learning how to sharpen well and the use of handplanes has been pivotal in my learning experience. I find the understanding of material gained by using well sharpened and properly adjusted tools to be so revealing. All the information you need from the material can be observed when planing, if you pay attention to the cut.

Are you a perfectionist or a realist?

This is a difficult question for me. I find perfectionism to be very based in insecurity which is something I very much relate to. In my early years everything needed to be perfect to the micron or it meant that I was a failure. This is something I have found a healthier relationship with in recent years. I’m still very picky about my own work but like to be more realistic and efficient with my output.

What’s your goal as a woodworker?

My goal is to design and make pieces that feel unfussy and honest. I would like to continue to take on work that challenges and stimulates my creativity. A project I am very excited about is the commission of a doll’s house from a very particular client, my daughter Lola.

What does an this award mean to you?

Winning this award is surreal and I am still in disbelief. For all my self-doubt I know one thing, I am extremely passionate about the work I do. The feeling of making a living from a creative output is something that sustains me, to be awarded for this work on a platform like Maker of the Year is something I am very proud of.

Andrew Ward is currently leading a project for Melbourne Design Week, that will see a group of makers present work that utilises London plane trees. Often maligned, these trees are a landmark of Melbourne’s inner suburbs and will now be replaced with other species. ‘Goodbye London Plane’ will demonstrate the value of this soon to be resource.

Learn more about Andrew Ward @andyward__ at www.andyward.au

Enter the 2025 Maker of the Year Awards, presented by Carbatec

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