Justin Crisp

Churchill Fellowship awardee Justin Crisp is a cabinet maker with a passion for including samples of little-known timbers of Australia and applying veneers as marquetry to enhance his pieces or by adding carved eucalypt leaves as "touches of Australia".

In May 1996, Justin will head off to Britain, France, and the USA to further his knowledge of fine woodwork. By studying and working alongside the curators of classical period furniture collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and The Louvre in Paris, Justin hopes to learn more of the traditional methods. In his own experience, Justin has found a growing number of people preferring to buy quality products.

Justin's workshop is part of the old World War Two barracks at Evans Head in Northern New South Wales, Australia. Here he runs a successful cabinet-making business and teaches his trade. He recently opened a show room in which to display and sell his furniture.

Although a devotee of traditional woodworking methods, Justin's creations are not restricted to antique reproductions. His award winning furniture work has assured Justin's reputation as a superb craftsman working with wood. Three of his pieces have won major prizes within the last twelve months (Sep 1994 to Sep 1995).

A small pedestal entered into the "National woodcarving and marquetry exhibition depicting Australian Endangered Wildlife", held in South Australia in 1994, won the Applied Marquetry section. Entitled "Koala Habitat", the design stemmed from the intrusion of housing development and a new road bypass into known koala habitats. Justin chose the Southern Blue Gum to represent the overall Australian Gum trees. His use of Queensland Maple, Silky Oak, and White Beech, along with natural veneers made this piece a magnificent example of his craftsmanship.

The overall prize at last year's "Coff's Harbour Arts And Craft Festival" was won by Justin with his French style writing desk competing against 758 other entries. The writing desk features a range of timbers including silver ash, mahogany, West Australian jarrah, and American rock maple.

The Queensland red cedar Sheraton Secretaire is also an award winning work which includes several other Australian timbers in its construction. Finishing touches such as the inclusion of two small black coral buttons as ornamentation highlight Justin's attention to detail. Pictured: Writing desk and Sheraton Secretaire.

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