Burgeoning talent and craft

The Furniture Makers Company hosted another thoughtful showcase with their newly named New Furniture Makers exhibition, previously the Young Furniture Makers Exhibition. A reception room in the Furniture Maker's Hall and the imposing Dutch Church opposite were filled with work that spanned a surprising breadth of forms and materials. From textiles-inspired pieces to chairs, tables and cabinetry, the standard was remarkably high, especially considering how early many of these makers are in their careers.

We weaved our way through the busy spaces, catching conversations and taking photographs whenever the moment allowed. The exhibition is always a chance to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new ones, but this year we were there with a particular purpose: to support our recently qualified apprentice, Georgia.

Georgia set herself the challenge of making a konami cabinet with fluted glass. It’s an unforgiving piece to attempt because every detail is exposed. Being displayed on a table rather than a wall invited visitors to inspect it from every angle, and they did. The reception was enthusiastic. One well-known furniture maker paused to examine it closely before saying, “The hardest thing in furniture making is to make a box, which is effectively what you’ve done… and you’ve absolutely smashed it.”

Alongside Georgia’s cabinet, we’ve included a photograph of Lily Hancock’s Captain’s Chair, which won Best Chair in Show and to which one of our team contributed research. Congratulations to all the shortlisted makers. If this exhibition is anything to go by, the future of our industry is in capable and imaginative hands.