Darren Christie from the Falkland Islands has won our first-ever bedside cabinet award, with his prize being a commemorative handmade glass commissioned by the Chippendale Society to mark the 300th birthday of Thomas Chippendale.
His stylish design in oak and satinwood was made to fit the dimensions of his bedroom back home in the South Atlantic.
His numbered limited-edition glass is made from 24% lead crystal, and the design is a modern interpretation of an 18thcentury English glass, made by blowing molten glass and shaping and manipulating it using simple metal and wooden tools in the traditional manner.
This year we asked all our students to design and make a bedside cabinet as their first term project, as it incorporates many of the basic skills they will need in their future careers.
For his cabinet, Darren had to learn to make numerous joints, including loose tongue, dovetail and tongue and groove joints as well as, for example, decorative mouldings and turning handles.
Darren is the first student we’ve had from the Falkland Islands. A qualified zoologist, Darren most recently worked for the Falkland Islands government, and hopes to return to the Falkland Islands after his course and set up his own woodworking business.
“Darren has shown that good design coupled with excellent basic skills are the fundamentals that every woodworker needs to be successful,” said Anselm Fraser, school principal.