[ This Article has been republished from the Australian Wood Review ]
Australian Wood Review is thrilled to announce the Award Winners for Maker of the Year 2023, presented by Carbitool.
Melbourne designer maker Wei Wu has taken out the top award of Overall Maker of the Year in addition to winning awards in the Chests, Cabinets & Boxes and Recycled & Rescued categories. He is featured on the cover of the December issue (#121) of the magazine which presents the top 100 entries along with judges’ comments and an interview with Wei Wu.
Wei Wu’s The Ming Noir Cabinet is an elegant tambour cabinet with a ‘frame+storage’ structure that configures by means of a simple and finely crafted ‘stop stick’ – the cabinet body can sit atop or below to create a flexible display space. It is made from recycled Tasmanian oak sourced from a school demolition in Melbourne. While the cabinet and supporting structure are ebonised, the stop stick is left in its original colour ‘as a precious point of reference’.
A new arrival to Australia from Beijing, China, Wei Wu explains the stylistic references of his piece: ‘My cabinet was inspired by Ming furniture, which combined advanced engineering with minimalist aesthetics and has influenced many world-class masters. Black (noir in French) is a colour of elegance, formality and certainty – and it covers up the flaws in the recycled wood perfectly. Together Ming and Noir create an atmosphere of serenity and stability at home.’
What does winning the Maker of the Year Award mean to Wei Wu? ‘Over the past year I have faced many challenges as a result of moving to a new country and city…it’s a great start to my new life here’, he said.
Now in its fourth year, Wood Review’s Maker of the Year is a unique and respected platform for elevating and highlighting finely designed and crafted works in wood. The value of these Awards is recognised and supported by leading industry brands.
Maker of the Year 2023 is proudly presented by premium Australian tooling manufacturer Carbitool, and sponsored by industry heavyweights American Hardwood Export Council, Bora Tool, Felder Group Australia, Flexcut Carving Tools, Laguna Tools, The Ultimate Renewable™, Whittle Waxes and Wood Solutions.
‘Our judges faced the seemingly impossible task of evaluating an incredibly diverse range of finely crafted furniture and objects – it’s an incredible challenge’, commented Wood Review Editor Linda Nathan. ‘A huge thank you goes to our judging team, David Boucher, Lisa Cahill, Ashley Eriksmoen, Jon Goulder, Jess Humpston and Aled Lewis, whose collective knowledge and professional experience underpin the understanding and humanity they brought to the task’, said Linda Nathan. Award winners now share in a prize pool valued at over $18,000, including $9750 cash.
The December issue #121 is now available in newsagents and select retailers. Digital editions of the magazine are available on Zinio.
Australian Wood Review is a quarterly magazine dedicated to presenting the best in fine woodworking. The magazine is published by Yaffa Media, one of Australia’s largest independent media companies. See www.woodreview.com.au
Maker of the Year 2024 will open for entries in February 14!