Page 2 - Australian Wood Review December 2022

Maker of the Year 2022
The winners and the Top 100 revealed!
Achair that speaks of tradition and also modernity is the piece that has propelled Jess Humpston into the limelight as this year’s Maker of the Year 2022. Her winning entry, Ch-air, not only looks back to Windsor peg and mortise technology, but through the use of monofilament also connects to an Australian ‘tradition’ as it recalls the influence of George Ingham, a designer and educator who had a huge influence on Australian woodworkers from the early 80s onwards.
Although categories were individually judged, Jess’s work was shortlisted in three of the four categories she entered, an additional reflection of the excellence of her work. As an early career designer maker, we congratulate Jess on her hard work.
Maker of the Year is much more than a means of distributing awards. It’s a supportive platform for makers to view and appreciate the work of others; and it’s a tool to leverage off, an opportunity to create new designs and extend techniques. Via Wood Review’s digital and social channels, entrants can present work to a wider audience.
Maker of the Year 2022 is presented by Carbatec and sponsored by American Hardwood Export Council, Felder
Group Australia, The Ultimate Renewable, Whittle Waxes and Wood Solutions. Huge thanks go to these companies – simply put, Maker of the Year would not exist without their foresight and community support!
Sincere thanks go also to this year’s fantastic judges: Marc Fish, Laura Mays, Grace Cochrane AM, Will Matthysen, Ruth Thompson and William Bayliss. Our award winners will share in receiving a prize pool of $23,000+ including $10,000 in cash and $10,000 in Carbatec vouchers.
Lastly, we thank all who entered! We have enjoyed viewing and appreciating every single entry and look forward to presenting your work again in 2023 when MOTY opens for entry next February at www.woodreview.com.au/moty
Congratulations to our award winners and the Top 100 whose work you can now see here!
Linda Nathan, Editor
Note: Apart from award winners, the Top 100 entries are not presented in any order. Photos shown without image credits were taken by the maker.
Meet the Judges
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Australian Wood Review
Marc Fish, designer maker, director Robinson House Studio Furniture School, UK, www.marcfish.com
Laura Mays, woodworker, designer. Lead tutor and director, The Krenov School, USA, www.lauramays.com
Will Matthysen, architect, designer maker, www.willmatthysen. com
Ruth Thompson, designer maker, Churchill fellow, teacher, www.collaborationau. com/project/ruth- thompson
Grace Cochrane AM, curator and writer, author of The Crafts Movement in Australia: a History
William Bayliss, designer maker, Wood Review Maker of the Year 2021