ROCKPORT — Maine Wood 2022 opened at the Messler Gallery at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship on Friday, January 21. The show runs through April 6, and a virtual tour of the exhibition may be seen on the Center’s website, woodschool.org.

Maine Wood is a juried, biennial exhibition designed to showcase the breadth, creativity, and excellence of Maine’s woodworking community. In 2022, the Center received 59 submissions from 35 Maine artists and artisans. “This is our eighth biennial,” said Meg Weston, Interim Executive Director of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship.  “It’s a pleasure to see the diversity of excellent work in wood by Maine craftspeople from across the state.”

Furniture makers in the show include Jesse Bickel of Somerville, David Boyle of Bath, Sam Cotton of Hope, Saer Huston of Kennebunkport, Guy Marsden of Woolwich, Kevin Rodel of Portland, John Rogers of Woolwich, Osamu Sassa of Camden, Richard Schilling of Portland, and Christina Vincent of North Haven.

Sculptors, turners, carvers, marquetarians, and bicycle makers exhibiting in the show are Dan Capwell of Belfast, Clara Cohan of Cape Elizabeth, Dennis Curtis of Augusta, Wayne Hall of Orland, Edward Harrow of Dedham, Albert Kolodji of Yarmouth, James Macdonald of Burnham, Max Miller of Thomaston, and George Partal of Bangor.

Maine organizations co-sponsoring Maine Wood 2022 are the Maine Crafts Association, Maine Woodturners, and Maine Woodworkers Association.

8 prizes totaling $2400, received through donations from corporate sponsors, will be presented at a virtual awards ceremony whose date is still to be determined. Awards include $300 gift certificates from The Craft Initiative for ‘Best Original Design’, ‘Outstanding Craftsmanship’, ‘Jurors’ Best in Show’, ‘Best New Maker’, ‘Best Turned Object’, ‘Best Use of Wood’; and ‘Best in Furniture.’ There is also a $300 cash prize for the ‘People’s Choice’ award.

Jurors for this year’s biennial include Annie Evelyn, Studio Furniture Maker and co-founder of Crafting the Future, Bakersville, NC; Reuben Foat, Department Chair, Cerritos College Woodworking, Norwalk, CA; and Gary Rogowski, Director of The Northwest Woodworking Studio, Portland, OR.

The Center for Furniture Craftsmanship is a nonprofit school that offers year-round courses in furniture making and related arts such as carving and woodturning.  For more information, call 207-594-5611, e-mail victoria@woodschool.org, or visit their website at woodschool.org. Messler Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. The Messler Gallery is located on the campus of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, at the corner of Route 90 and Mill Street in Rockport, Maine.