Prizewinners 2024

Prizewinners 2024

The Incorporations of Wrights in Glasgow,

Prize Winners 2024,

Personal Biographies

Received from George McNeillie,

Curriculum Head of Faculty of Creative Industries, Retired,

Furniture & Art Glass at the City of Glasgow College.

Andrew Gilchrist,

Glasgow Clyde College,

Two Guitars, one with steel strings, one parlour.

Growing up I have always had an interest in engineering and have been a keen guitar player for most of my life. Choosing a path into being a luthier was a great way to open the door not just into woodworking but other types of manufacturing and construction. Going forward I hope to improve my skills as an instrument maker but also continue to explore other avenues of engineering. The guitar that I brought to this event I made for my niece who sadly lost her mother a couple of years ago. I made it for her as a reminder that her mother will always be close by and in the hope that the music she plays will bring her joy through some of the hard times as it did for myself in the past. 

James Cochrane,

City of Glasgow College,

Reproduction of Shetland style chair

Back in 2022 I decided on a career change to do something I love.

I decided I wanted to become a tech teacher and with this in mind I set about looking for a course to help achieve my goal. 

I applied to do an HND in furniture design at the City of Glasgow College, which I graduated with an A in June this year. I learnt so much and thoroughly enjoyed the course. It also confirmed I had made the right choice in my new career direction. 

I have now started year 3 at Strathclyde University doing a BSc Hons Education and Curricular Studies with Teaching Qualification. 

Meg Lough,

City of Glasgow College,

Orkney chair

I came to college with no prior background in woodwork, but I loved every minute of it. It feels like so long ago now being back in the very first year learning the fundamental skills of which I then honed over the following few years. I have now officially started my own furniture restoration business and have also incorporated carpentry techniques into my skill set whilst working alongside established local carpenters, some of whom also completed the Furniture course at City of Glasgow. For me, furniture is the perfect mix of practical skills and creativity, and I see myself continuing in this field for a very long time.

Aidan Crilley,

City of Glasgow College,

Reproduction Bar Bench

I started working at John Galvin Design during my 2nd year of HND Craftmanship. Once I finished college, I became a full time CNC operator creating bespoke objects for high end clients. Once I have developed my skills, I plan to enable others to engage with the CNC’ing side of the business and make the machines more accessible to everyone.

Hugh McKay,

City of Glasgow College,

Finn Juhl’s Whisky Chair.

My entry into the upholstery industry was quite unorthodox.  I joined the Navy in my teens after attending a recruitment centre with my cousin (well it was one way to leave Wishaw and see the world). Despite seeing the world and making some good friends I soon realised that it was not where I saw my future. I and the rest of my family moved to a small village called Beattock where I soon found myself working for a small family run upholstery firm called Odessey Furnishing that specialised in bedroom furnishings such as headboards and Ottomans.  I worked there for around seven years until I moved to Glasgow after marrying.  I then worked for Morris Furniture for several years before finding myself working as a service technician on the newly established National Lottery Contract and there I stayed for 20 years. Then in 2022 at the age of 55 I decided to go to college for the first time and undertake an HND in Furniture Restoration.  Despite it being a shock to the system returning to education I really enjoyed the opportunity to learn new skills and the chance to be creative again.  Since graduating I have found myself working for another family run firm in Larbert that works on a wide range of projects from bus seats and settees to bar and restaurant furniture.

Wojtek Tomaszowski,

City of Glasgow College,

Reproduction Teak Triennale Chest of Drawers

My passion for furniture began in London, where I studied A-level Design Technology. I then moved to Scotland, where I completed my Furniture HND course at the City of Glasgow College, acquiring many valuable woodworking and upholstery techniques that helped shape my abilities and experience in furniture making. I’m currently employed at John Galvin Design in Clydebank, working with a variety of materials such as timber, metal and leather to create bespoke products.

Freya Dargavel,

Cit of Glasgow College,

`1990s train seat’ Small Chaise Longue.

My first memories of woodwork go back to being a kid, varnishing wooden dinghies which was my dad’s passion. I never learnt in school and only came back to woodwork in late 2021 when I designed and made sliding drawers for a removable camping bed in my car.

In 2022, I started helping at Boomerang Woodworking in Maryhill making garden furniture and small items for local community organisations. Working with a retired cabinet maker, I started learning more about furniture, its history and form and decided to take up an NQ at City of Glasgow College learn professional skills from the start - I had been working mostly with recycled pallet wood and construction timber at this point and wanted to learn more about joints, hardwoods and design.

For the past year whilst at college, I have been a Director at Boomerang Woodworking - a community-driven wood workshop in Maryhill, reclaiming wood and furniture from the waste stream, making pieces for local organisations and residents and running workshops and clubs to share knowledge and skills.  

I’ll be continuing to run the workshop this year until I return to college to complete the HND in Furniture Craft in 2025.