Northern Woods Exhibition

The Members Gallery is where you can view Award Winning pieces from Northern Woods Exhibitions all the way back to 1996.  You can also view all of the entries submitted to the most recent show.  Check out the Gallery and get inspired!

MEET THE MAKER
at the 2024 Northern Woods Exhibition
on Saturday, April 27, 2024
Brought to you by the Minnesota Woodworkers Guild

The Northern Woods Exhibition is an annual woodworking show and competition sponsored by the Minnesota Woodworkers Guild.

The show provides an opportunity for woodworkers to display and discuss their craft, and for the community to view the best in high quality woodworking design and construction. The pieces on display are works of art in addition to being functional furniture.  Education is one of the main goals of the Minnesota Woodworkers’ Guild. Many of the pieces in this show reflect skills learned at monthly meetings, workshops and seminars sponsored by the guild.

On Saturday, April 27, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. we are featuring a “Meet the Maker” event.  The makers of our fine pieces will be present at the Exhibition on Saturday from 2 to 4 to meet other Guild members, and the public, to tell them about their adventures in woodworking and about the piece(s) they are exhibiting.  It will be an educational experience for EVERYONE!

Enjoy the Show!
Ed Neu, President
Minnesota Woodworkers Guild

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Best in Show:  The winning piece should exhibit the best qualities of most of the following categories.

Awards of Excellence (3): Each of the three judges will select an entry entirely at their own discretion for one of three Awards of Excellence. The intent of this award is to recognize a worthy entry that does not fit into another category or for some other reason cannot receive another award. They may also use this award for recognizing a piece that ran a close second to one of the other category winners.

Best Original Design: A well-designed piece must be both useful and pleasing to the eye. Will it perform its intended job? Good design is in large part a subjective opinion. It is difficult to define what good design should look like, but we can agree how it should affect a thoughtful critic. It invites a second, more intimate look, and asks to be touched by hand and spirit. This award is to be presented to the best original design, one that is not a copy of a previously designed piece..

Best Traditional Piece: This is an award for the piece which is built in the traditional manner, a reproduction or a piece heavily influenced by a traditional design. In addition, the Society of American Period Furniture Makers (SAPFM) will write an article about the winner of this award.

Most Technically Accomplished: This is an objective assessment. The best work will exhibit a mastery of many woodworking techniques. It will respect the limitations of working in wood. Qualities to look for include flawless treatment of surfaces, precise joinery and carefully controlled detail. The award will take into account the difficulty of the undertaking.

Best First Time in Show: Whether professional or amateur, this award goes to the best piece entered by a first time Northern Woods exhibitor.

Woodworking for Pleasure: This prize is awarded to the best piece exhibited by a person for whom woodworking is an avocation.

Best Detail: The finest craftsmanship is often just a small part of a piece but makes all the difference. This award goes to the best conceived and/or most deftly executed detail that really makes the piece stand out. This might be exceptionally well executed dovetails, a particularly nice carved detail, or exquisite inlay.

Best Finish: The finish may enhance the natural beauty of wood or alter its texture and color. A good finish elevates one’s perception of the piece to which it is applied. Depth, luster and clarity are characteristics of a good finish.

Best Turning: This award honors the tradition of turning. This winning piece will exhibit quality of form as well as execution.

Peer Award (Awarded by fellow entrants): This is decided by balloting among all Guild members coming to the show. You will be given a chance to vote for your favorite piece (other than your own) and runners up.

The People’s Choice (Voted for by visitors to the show): This award is determined by ballots submitted by the public. It recognizes those people’s favorite piece in the show.

Best Youth Piece Award: This award will be made to the “best” piece submitted by a youth, age 22 and under. The piece will be judged on overall craftsmanship. Areas to be considered will be selection of materials appropriate for the piece, execution of joinery, and quality of finish and its appropriateness for the piece. Complexity of the piece will be considered. Extra consideration will be given to pieces of original design.

Please Note: The Judges are solely responsible for deciding which pieces will receive awards. Their decisions are final.

• Entries are limited to objects made primarily of wood.
• Space on the exhibition floor permitting, each entrant may submit any number of pieces, but only two pieces are eligible for judging. The exhibition committee may reject anything over two pieces due to space constraints.
• Pieces shown at previous Northern Woods Exhibitions are not eligible for exhibition, judging, or awards.
• The show committee reserves the right to reject a piece it deems unacceptable for any reason.
• All pieces must remain on the floor until after the mall closes and the People’s Choice award is announced at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.
• Larger pieces display best on attractive flat-white pedestals, no more than 4 inches in height. Pedestals should have leg levelers, with rubber or soft vinyl material in contact with the showroom floor.  Freely moving pedestals are not allowed.  Edges of the pedestal MUST NOT extend more than 6″ beyond the footprint of the piece displayed.  Entrants must provide their own pedestal. Wall hanging pieces will need a wall suitable for display of the piece. The Guild has some display walls. Please contact the Northern Woods Committee to check for display wall availability. If a Guild display wall is not available then entrant must provide their own.
• Small items must be displayed in/on a Guild-provided display case or a pre-approved entrant provided display. If you need space in one of the Guild display cabinets be sure to indicate that on your entry form. If you prefer to use your own display then contact Northern Woods Committee for pre-approval.
• Advertising is limited to portfolios, business cards, and Guild sponsored publications. All advertising must remain next to the entrant’s piece(s).
• Although the Guild and Eden Prairie Center will have people available to monitor the show at all times, neither party is responsible for damage to, or loss of, pieces on display. Insurance coverage for pieces on display is the responsibility of the entrant.
• PLEASE NOTE THIS RULE: Late entries might not be included in the show.
• All pieces MUST be in place by 9:00pm on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Late pieces will be excluded from the show unless the entrant contacts the show chairman and makes appropriate arrangements. Pieces will be placed by the guild committee member in charge of display. His decisions are final.
• If you do not submit a photo for the catalog then you are required to submit a photo/snapshot of your entry no later than the Wednesday evening show set-up.  Note: This is different than the catalog photo and a high quality photo is NOT required because this one is only to assist and expedite with judging the show.
• Entrants will be expected to volunteer time staffing the Guild information table.

Have you:

• Read the Rules for Entry?

• Considered joining the Guild if you are not a member?
  • Early Bird Fees – thru March 27, 2024
    • Members:  $70.00 1st piece; $50 each additional piece.
      
    • Non-Members:  $95.00
  • Regular Fees – March 28, 2024 and later
    • Members:  $100.00
    • Non-Members:  $130.00
• Signed up to volunteer at the show? We are all set for 2024.  Thanks all!

Registration for 2024 has CLOSED.

Meet the Maker:

To further our goal to educate ourselves and the public about woodworking, we are adding a new feature to the Northern Woods Exhibition this year.  On Saturday, April 27, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. we are featuring a “Meet the Maker” event. We ask that ALL exhibitors be present at the Exhibition Saturday from 2 to 4 to meet other Guild members, and the public, to tell them about your adventures in woodworking and about the piece(s) you are exhibiting. While this is not a requirement to participate in the Exhibition, we do urge that you seriously consider joining us for this event. Announcing it to the public will be a key part of our advertising campaign for this year. We hope for it to draw a lot of inquisitive visitors to our marvelous exhibit of fine woodworking. It will be an educational experience for them, AND FOR YOU!

All exhibitors who participate in the Meet the Maker event will be eligible for a prize drawing at the end of the event.

The Minnesota Woodworkers Guild is a great VOLUNTEER organization.  The Northern Woods exhibition is planned and executed by a small volunteer committee of dedicated Guild members. We’ve had some turn-over of personnel this year and really need your help.

To make the visit by the public to our Exhibition, we like to have a number of ‘guild members on hand on the exhibit floor to answer their questions and show them around.  We do this in shifts of 2-3 hours.  If you have some time to contribute to the success of our show, please volunteer.  No experience necessary.  We will train you when you show up for your shift.

Volunteer Sign-Up

Thank you for your help!
The Northern Woods Committee