Alastair Boell was awarded a Bachelor of Education (Arts and Crafts) at Melbourne University, majoring in ‘Furniture Making’ in 1990. A month after graduating, he moved to Japan, where he taught English and made furniture for his own pleasure for eight years. While living there, he became heavily influenced by the Japanese design aesthetic.

Moea graduated from Sturt School for Wood in Mittagong, NSW, in 2021. After a successful corporate career as an Analyst, she found balance in woodworking and fine furniture making, bringing together hand, head and heart.

As an artist and designer maker, her work is driven by a love of craftsmanship and of timber as a material. She explores both organic and geometric shapes in an attempt to create an emotional connection.

A chair maker by trade Peter Kruithof has spent over 25 years working in the boutique and commercial furniture industries. His experience covers contemporary/modern furniture, antique reproduction furniture, bar and restaurant furniture and fittings, shop fitting, furniture polishing and design. Currently as a furniture maker under his own banner he works closely with designers and customers to produce beautiful custom made pieces. He has also recently turned his hand to artisanal pipe making and has discovered a passion for the art of blending form, function and finishing that is required to produce a high grade pipe.

Georgie works with wood to create functional artworks, blurring the lines between sculpture, furniture and object. Georgie’s practice explores our relationship to our domestic belongings, aiming to foster greater intimacy with material matter through emphasising tactility and the sensorial experience.



In 2006 Zac completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Monash University with a major in silversmithing and jewellery. While pursuing this he became interested in working with timber. He went on to complete a Certificate II in Furniture Making before working both independently and for several other makers, until he got a job working for Pop and Scott - the Melbourne-based furniture and homewares business. He worked there for four years, spending most of his time there as head furniture maker. He produced the prototypes of new products and was also engaged in some of their design. He eft there in November 2019 to develop an independent practice.

Eddy is a qualified furniture restorer with 16 years’ experience. While he specialises in French polishing furniture of all styles and periods, he has a particular interest in English, French, Italian and Australian furniture of the early and late Victorian period.

Jon’s strong sense of place comes from several generations of his family living in Tasmania. He holds a deep connection with the landscape of his island home and an affinity with the beautiful and unique timbers that grow in the cool temperate forests.

Simeon Dux is a fine furniture designer and maker from Melbourne, who specializes in crafting unique one of a kind pieces.

Coming from a background in music and architecture, Michael’s journey into furniture making was prompted by some ideas and interest that he had in instrument making (drums in particular). The study of furniture making seemed to be the most practical and logical step to acquire the necessary skills for wooden instrument making.Accordingly in 2014/15 Michael undertook a Certificate III in Cabinet and Furniture making at Holmesglen TAFE full-time.

Through participation in the Furniture Making course, he became more interested in the craft of furniture making itself and gained a great satisfaction and inspiration from the experience of working with wood.

Since 2016 Michael has been a full time furniture maker making furniture at Whelan, Westwood and Tide Designs.

Michael has entered pieces in the Student Craftsmanship category of Furnitex Awards in 2014 and 2015, both of which became finalist pieces and also received an award for Excellence in Craftsmanship at the Holmesglen TAFE Design Awards for 2014.

Darren began learning his craft at The Guild with Alistair in 2014. Five years later, his desire to make could no longer be contained. He closed the doors of his architecture practice and moved to Mittagong in NSW, to undertake the year long course at The Sturt School for Wood. 

Mike’s furniture making career started at the Guild in 2016. Working with mentors during weekly open classes and speciality classes, particularly in Windsor chairmaking, have been a personal highlight and inspired him to build his own workshop and tool collection. Mike favours Shaker and Mid Century design, and loves the lines created in American Windsor chair design.

In 2016 Mark studied Certificate IV in Furniture Design and Technology (Fine Furniture Making) at Sturt School for Wood in Mittagong NSW. After graduating he remained at Sturt working from the resident workshop. During this time, Mark was given the opportunity to be a casual teacher for the part time Fine Woodworking program and in 2018 he was the Sturt School for Wood Course Coordinator.