Edgecomb furniture designer and maker, Eben Blaney, recently had his bench design selected by the Farnsworth Museum as one of two chosen in a competition for new museum seating.

The competition, co-sponsored by the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, was open to all Maine craftspeople and received 77 different bench designs from 44 entrants this past summer. From these entrants, 15 finalists were selected by the museum to participate in the show, “Designing Benches,” with opening reception held Friday, January 25 at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship's Messler Gallery.

At the reception, Farnsworth Executive Director Chris Brownawell and Chief Curator Michael Komanecky announced the winners. Blaney's bench, titled “Parenthetical,” along with Libby Schrum's “Curvilinear” bench, were selected to be purchased by the museum from a very diverse group of bench designs on hand.

Blaney is a Maine native, originally from Boothbay Harbor. He designs and builds fine contemporary furniture and cabinetry on both a commission and speculative basis. Selected works of his are on display seasonally at the Stable Gallery in Damariscotta and he will be exhibiting his furniture at both the Philadelphia Invitational Furniture Show and Craftboston this spring. Blaney is also scheduled to co-teach with Director Peter Korn this summer at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship where he received the award “best new maker” in last year's juried “Maine Wood 2012.”

The exhibit "Designing Benches" will be at the Messler Gallery through April 17.