Five winners of the 2012 Furniture Society-Powermatic® Student Workshop Scholarships were announced by Alfred Sharp, president of The Furniture Society. These workshop scholarships are awarded annually to enrich the hands-on education of creative students of furniture design.
The competitive scholarships are sponsored by Powermatic, a world-class leader of stationary woodworking equipment, in partnership with The Furniture Society, based in Asheville, NC. Each 2012 scholarship recipient is given up to $3,000 to attend a specific one-, two- or eight-week workshop offered by schools participating in the program. The scholarships cover tuition, housing, on-campus meals and a travel stipend.
“The scholarship program encourages innovation and assists promising students of furniture-making to hone their knowledge and skills,” said Barry Schwaiger, Powermatic’s Director of Product Development. “Some of these students will go on to head their own independent workshops, while others will become designers and executives in the furniture industry.”
“Independent schools of craft offer a number of specific workshops and courses, in addition to those available at colleges and universities,” said Alfred Sharp, President of The Furniture Society. “The scholarships provide financial help for creative students to pursue the best programs.”
Each year, faculty members of colleges and universities that offer furniture-making curricula encourage promising students to apply for the Furniture Society-Powermatic scholarships. As part of the application process, students and their mentors request specific programs to advance the students’ development.
Scholarship recipients were selected by a committee consisting of John Dennison, past conference co-chair, North Saanich, BC; Barry Schwaiger from Powermatic,LaVergne,TN; and Miguel Gomez-Ibanez, former Furniture Society president,Boston,MA.
2012 scholarship recipients are:
Brendon Taylor, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, a student at Sheridan College will attend a workshop on metal furniture at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, CO.
Bradley Wolcott, Brookline, MA who attends North Bennet Street School, will participate in a workshop on finishing a-z at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, Rockport, ME.
Vincent Edwards, Bloomington, IN, who attends Herron School of Art & Design, will participate in a workshop on advanced woodworking: tables and benches at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, CO.
Sophie Glenn, New York, NY, a student at Purchase College will attend a workshop on fundamentals of boat building at Penland School of Crafts,Penland,NC.
Nathaniel Chambers, Clyde, NC, a student attending Haywood Community College will participate in a workshop on making connections/basketry at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME.
“This year’s scholarship winners are on the path to become future leaders in the art of furniture design,” said Sharp. “That’s why the Furniture Society-Powermatic Student Workshop Scholarships are a sound investment in the advancement of American furniture-making.”