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14 Cottage St
Blackburn, VIC, 3130
Australia
0413 537 490
The Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking was founded by Alastair Boell in 2007. After graduating from the world renowned North Bennet Street School, Boston (USA) Alastair felt that there was a great need in Australia for an educational facility that focuses on traditional skills.
The Guild is committed to preserving and advancing craft traditions in furniture making. We are also committed to promoting a greater awareness and appreciation of
craftsmanship. In our classes we emphasize the skillful use of hand tools and power equipment and an informed use of appropriate materials. We are passionate about what we do and want to share information, ideas and skills with all our students young and old, from beginner to advanced.
Hugh is a retired anaesthetist with a life-time interest in woodworking. His professional career, spanning some 40 years, was spent mostly in a major teaching hospital, involved in the anaesthesia and management of trauma, and the teaching of anaesthesia trainees, medical students and nurses.
Read MoreMatt specialises in crafting steam-bent Middle Eastern frame drums and these are played by professional musicians around the world. Matt was an artist-in-studio at Montsalvat artists colony where he also taught students to craft their own drums.
Read MoreEddy 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.
Read MoreJon’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.
Read MoreVeronica ( Ronnie) Sexton was born in County Cork, Ireland. She moved to England in 1988, and there, assisted by a grant from the Leche Trust, obtained her Higher Diploma and Graduateship in Woodcarving and Gilding at the City and Guilds of London Art School in 1994.
Read MoreSimeon Dux is a fine furniture designer and maker from Melbourne, who specializes in crafting unique one of a kind pieces.
Read MoreJohn commenced training as a cabinet-maker and soon after moved into timber furniture making. By completing a full-time course in fine furniture making at Coles School of Woodcraft, John continued to build upon his design and construction skills by gaining experience across the industry.
Read MoreAlastair 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.
Read MoreJacqueline met Alastair Boell in 1989 at The University of Melbourne whilst undertaking the course – Bachelor of Education: Arts and Crafts. After living in Japan for 8 years, she then went to study at the London College of Fashion (UK) where she was awarded her ‘Diploma – Costumes for the Performing Arts’.
Read MoreComing 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.
Read MoreDarren 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.
Read MoreMike’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.
Read MoreMichael has had a lifelong passion for woodworking. He has taught “Design and Technology” for over 45 years with a special interest in woodcraft and furniture making. His extensive portfolio of work ranges from modern furniture and cabinetry through to classic works of reproduction, especially those from Japan.
Read MoreHaving spent many an hour dreaming of making my own furniture, I was finally able to make it a reality having recently attended the three day Perch Stool workshop with Jon, Alastair and his team. What an amazing three days! Although the course was intensive, the atmosphere was always relaxed, with Jon, Alastair and Doug, ever ready to help and guide us through the various, and often complex stages of the Perch Stool. I found all three of the guys to be extremely generous, who were never shy in being prepared to share their in-depth knowledge and skills, which more often than not, was delivered with an abundance of good humor and musings.
Read MoreMy thanks to Jon, Alaster and Doug for the sharing of their knowledge, the use of their equipment and workshop. The whole week end was a rewarding and informative experience, I now know what a scorp is, and a radius plane, how animal glue still has a place in the 21st C and a new found respect for Japanese draw saws. Oh, and you do learn a little more about yourself too. An excellent week end, worth the experience and expense. Would recommend this to anybody.
Read MoreI attended my third Shaker Bentwood Box class on Sunday. Why have I done three? Well, for me, they make unique gifts for special people and I needed 3 in a short space of time. At the end of the day, you go home with three complete boxes which only require sanding and oil/polish/wax before they are ready to be presented as gifts. The timing was perfect.
Read MoreAfter years of self taught furniture making full of mistakes and bad joinery I thought it was time to improve my skills and sign up to a course in the Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking. Two and a half years later and I am glad I did!
Read MoreHighly recommended for anyone that wishes to learn from an inspiring, humble master of the trade. I gained a wonderful insight into the relaxing and challenging world of hand crafted woodwork. I also met a fantastic bunch of people!
Read MoreI have three beautiful Shaker boxes in my study. I made them recently with the help of Alastair Boell at the Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking, and they’re supposed to be a wedding present for my niece. But I’m not sure if I can part with them!
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