‘Under 30’ exhibit opens at Messler Gallery

The juried exhibition, "Regeneration: Fine Woodworkers Under 30," opened Sept. 16 at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship's Messler Gallery in Rockport, Maine, featuring 21 pieces culled from 277 entries.

“The quality of the work on display is thrilling,” the school’s executive director Peter Korn said in a statement. “Visitors to the exhibition are clearly awed by the creative talent of these under-30 woodworkers. We are tremendously grateful to Woodcraft and our other ‘Regeneration’ sponsors for their generous encouragement of young people who are entering the field.”

• Russell Gale of Asheville, N.C., earned the Best of Show award and the prize of a $1,500 tool package from Festool USA.

• Nate Blaisdell of Somerville, Maine, won Fine Woodworking magazine’s Craftsmanship award and the prize of a Powermatic 2800 18" variable-speed drill press.

• Phillip Leonard of LaGrange, Ill., won the People’s Choice award and the prize of a Jet 16" band saw.

• George Dubinsky of Yardley, Pa., won the studio furniture category and a Jet JWP-160S 16" planer.

• Virginia Blanchard of Pelham, N.Y., won the traditionally-inspired furniture category and a Powermatic 719T tilt-table mortiser.

• Brett MacLearnsberry of Poulsbo, Wash., won the boxes, containers and lighting category and a Jet OES-80CS oscillating edge sander.

• Bryan Klotz of Brooklyn, N.Y., won the turning/sculpture category and a Powermatic 14" band saw.

Each winner also received clamps from Irwin Tools, saw blades from Freud, compact routers from Porter-Cable, diamond honing stones from DMT, and $300 gift certificates from Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, while each entrant received a $20 gift coupon from Woodcraft Supply.

The exhibition runs through Nov. 22 and can be viewed online at www.woodschool.org/wood-school-gallery/current-exhibitions.