Three of Bridgwater College’s Furniture Making students have impressed the judges and public at the annual Somerset Guild Warmth and Wood exhibition, held recently in Somerton.

Tom Kealy and Jason Cook

Jason Cook, from Glastonbury won the 2014 Furniture Prize for his sofa table in Amaragh Ebony with a purple heart drawer box and verdigris front, and received a £300 cash prize plus a year’s associate membership of the Somerset Guild. Nadia Connabeer, 20, from Totnes won the Public Vote with her curved leg table called the ‘curva table’ in ash and sapele, and won £150 and one year’s associate membership.

wood exhibition_furniture_table

Tom Kealy and Nadia Connabeer

Jason Cook also received second place in the Public Vote for his plant table of English oak with burr oak top and ebony detailing, and Shelton Johnson received third for his Japanese-style trinket box made of walnut and birdseye maple and will receive one year’s associate membership of the Somerset Guild.

Nadia, an apprentice with Hayman Joinery in Totnes said, “I am absolutely delighted to win this prize, it’s a great start to my career. Thank you to everybody who voted for me. I hope to continue to make furniture and enter more competitions.”

The awards, sponsored by the Guild and Somerset Art Works (SAW) represented by Rosie Inge, chair of the Friends of SAW - were presented by Trish Burridge, a past Master of the Guild.

Bridgewater College website: bridgwater.ac.uk

Photographs courtesy of Steve Hopper and David Brown.