Alumnus wins design award

Buffalo State College alumnus Adam Kessler was awarded the People's Choice Award for his project "Table for Dali" in July at a national woodworking competition.

Kessler, a 27-year-old Rochester native, received the award at the Association of Woodworking Furnishings and Suppliers National Fresh Wood Competition for students.

He graduated from Buffalo State College in May 2011 with a bachelor's degree in wood/furniture and a bachelor's degree in fibers, and now lives in the Elmwood Village.

Kessler first developed an interest in woodworking when he was a boy building tree houses and playing with Legos, which he still collects, saying he uses them to fulfill his need to build stuff until he gets his own woodworking machines.

"I've always liked building things and working with my hands and coming up with an idea, then making it a reality," he said, "I find it really fulfilling and satisfying."

At Buffalo State, Kessler primarily studied woodworking under professor Sunhwa Kim and fibers under professor Jozef Bajus. They were always there to give him guidance, make suggestions and push him to always try to make things a little bit better, he said.

He began working on his project, "Table for Dali", while taking a class with professor Sunhwa Kim, where he first started searching for competitions to enter, and also where he discovered the National Fresh Wood Competition.

"(Competition) is good for student's experience. I first applied the school's name, and then I asked Adam to apply," Kim said. "He is very talented. The award will give him confidence and is good for his future."

According to the AWFS website, 137 post-secondary and high school students from across the US and Canada traveled to Las Vegas to enter the competition. The association covered the costs of shipping the entries to and from the fair as well as the travel and lodging expenses to get the students and their teachers to Las Vegas.

More than 900 attendees and exhibitors voted for their favorite pieces, and 25 percent of them voted for Kessler's table.

"The award, sponsored by CustomMade.com, for winning the People's Choice Award comes with a $500 cash prize, a one year subscription to CustomMade.com and a certificate of merit," said the press release from The Bohle Company for AWFS. "Adam also won second place in the Post Secondary Tables category, which also carried a $500 prize."

The inspiration and name "Table for Dali" came from the surrealist painter Salvador Dali.

"I was kind of imagining that I was making the table for him," Kessler said he drew from Dali's use of grids and cubic patterns and melting shapes to help design his table, which is made from maple and black walnut.

Kessler's first attempt at competitive woodworking was a great success.

"I was really proud because I actually got into Popular Mechanics, I was on their website, and then on their Tumblr account and it got a bunch of hits," he said, adding he is happy to get his name out there.

Kessler said he doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon. He is training for a job at Dateweiser, a furniture company in Cheektowaga, and will become an engineer technician. He said he plans to get his own equipment so he can continue to hone his skills and creativity in his spare time.

Kim said she is very excited about Kessler's achievements and believes no matter what kind of job he gets or wherever he goes he will be successful.

Mia Summerson can be reached by email at summerson.record@live.com.