Woodworking Network is presenting the Veneer Tech Craftsman’s Challenge awards to recognize excellence in veneer woodworking

The annual competition is now open for entries. The Grand Prize winner receives $3000 cash and other category winners receive $1000. 

Whether it is furniture, cabinets, architectural woodwork, marquetry, special products or student work, all woodworkers need to do is demonstrate their craftsman’s touch. It doesn’t matter how much or how little veneer or other wood products have been used in a project or where the veneer material was purchased.

In addition to the Grand Prize entry of $3000, the distributor for that entry receives $2000 and the distributor salesman receives $1000 for supplying the veneer products or wood product application used.

It is easy to enter. The 2020 entry form is now available: https://www.judgify.me/2020-craftsmans-challenge

More than 120 entries showed spectacular veneer work in the 2019 Veneer Tech Craftsman’s Challenge.

Competition was particularly tight in the furniture category. Kirk Coryn of Kirk Kreations captured the grand prize winner with an Art Nouveau-style bed that featured incredible detail in veneer marquetry and elegant design.

Called “Life and Death in the Garden,” the bed featured a variety of veneers and techniques to depict flowers, a butterfly, and a spider (done in stone) with web.

“This project includes 12/4 solid African sapele for the framework and trims around the platform. The spider was cut from single chiqua jasper slab. The spider web was made from 22 gauge square sterling silver wire,” said Coryn. “The main background veneer used is by far my favorite, pomelle imbuya. The border is zebrawood with a 3/32 wide maple fillet. The center crest is amboyna burl. The butterfly is died black and orange veneer with white holly dots. The flowers were made using natural colored maple, holly, and sycamore veneers. The stems are sapele veneer. Leaves are two different colors of dyed green veneer.”

For the grand prize, Coryn won $3,000, but that wasn’t the only prize for his work. The contest also recognizes distributors and salespeople who supply veneer for winning entries. The grand prize project distributor, Certainly Wood, received $2,000 and the distributor salesman, Greg Engle, received $1,000 for supplying veneer products used.

You can see last year’s other winners here: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/craftsmans-challenge-winners-show-their-veneer-skills

All awarded entries receive publicity in industry publications, among trade groups and on industry websites.

Winners are awarded cash prizes and be known throughout the industry as a true craftsperson for their use of natural veneer.

Go to https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/sites/default/files/official-rules-2020-craftsmans-challenge.docx for more information and to enter.