Page 3 - Australian Wood Review December 2022

SUPPORTING SPONSORS
Meet Jess Humpston,
Maker of the Year 2022
What’s your background? Were you always a woodworker?
I’m relatively new to woodworking, my background is in fashion and interior design. Whilst working in interior design I took part-time woodworking classes at the VWA’s Victorian School of Woodcraft and just completely fell in love with it! It was there that I heard about Sturt School for Wood and committed to studying woodworking in 2021.
How does your other training/profession play into your furniture design work?
In my interior design practice it’s a process of constantly questioning form, function and ensuring every design move aligns with the concept and client’s brief. I think this training has been so helpful for me in my furniture design work by being able to hone in on one key idea and then refine the design until all joints, junctions, materials and proportions align with the initial idea.
What drives your design ideas the most?
It’s ultimately driven by curiosity. This might be about the construction of a traditional joint, or how a type of timber will
react when processed in a certain way, and then designing a piece
of furniture around this process of curiosity whilst hopefully making the piece appear as effortless as possible.
Can you give some insights into the making of your winning entry?
Ch-air was developed during my final term at Sturt School for Wood where we were lucky enough to have
David Upfill-Brown as our tutor who allowed us the space to be experimental in our designs.
Without having a clear idea of the form, I knew I wanted to design an ultra light chair which would act as a framework for a woven element to soften the piece. The making process proved challenging and the most clarity around design came through the modelling. The first 1:1 mockup made to test proportions was held together with rubber bands and fell apart very easily. It wasn’t particularly pleasing to the eye and I very nearly scrapped it altogether.
Next was developing a series of jigs to make a more refined mock-up to test the joints, woven seat and ergonomics. The compound angles were tricky and achieved through a series of angled wedges, a bevel gauge and a lot of head scratching at the drill press. The dowels, including the tenons and fluting for the weaving, were made entirely on the router table with cradle jigs to achieve consistency across all the repeated elements.
Monofilament was selected for its strength and the fluting detail was developed to keep each strand in place and allow space around it, making it almost invisible. The cumulative strength of each monofilament strand echoes the chair's lightweight construction.
What does being Wood Review’s Overall Maker of the Year mean to you?
I am beyond excited to be named as this year's Maker of the Year and honoured to be in the company of such talented craftspeople. Wood Review is such an integral resource and platform for Australian makers and to be a part of it is truly amazing.
What’s next for Jess Humpston?
I’ve recently moved back to Melbourne and am slowly setting up my workshop space at the VWA. I’m working towards creating a range of furniture pieces and generally refining my skills as a craftsperson.
www.woodreview.com.au 31
PHOTO: ANTHONY MCKEE