Since as early as I can remember drawing and creation has been part of me. However, like so many who have a bent toward creativeness, the concentration over a period to create a meaningful block of work has been missing.  My upbringing said “that won’t earn you a living”.  I was not in a culture that had considered, or had knowledge, that art creativity was a meaningful contribution to life, or that one could exist by following this path.

A block of work will shape my contribution, style will continue to change and evolve …. as I believe it must, so as to give variety and a story.   Follow the pieces and the story behind them >>>>

“Security”  Made from jarrah resides at the top of our stairs to meet and greet, or filter who is allowed in.  The couple are an embracing greeting, meant to set the tone for any visitors who come upstairs.

Buffalo Sports Day  This piece is 550mm tall, made from an old wandoo tennis court fence post.  The caption is the story behind the work.  SOLD

Swing   This particular piece of windfall feature jarrah lent itself to branches.  The sort of branch that invites a swing, as we used to have on rural blocks where there were no playgrounds.  AVAILABLE

Djiljit Mia is a wonderful collaboration of the community of Dunsborough to create an experiential playground in the centre of town based around the history of fish traps and meeting places that have existed on the Bay for thousands of years.  I was fortunate to be asked to create a piece, in conjunction with Josh Whiteland, for the area.  The people have been created in jarrah. The tree is cortens steel, designed by myself but made by local fabricators Dunweld

Small Sculptures of Life Experiences An exhibition at Christian Fletcher’s Gallery during Margaret River Open Studios of small pieces ranging up to 500mm in height, made from Jarrah on metal plinths.  3 AVAILABLE

Friends  Made from jarrah and using Shou-sugi-ban technique to char the timber.  This piece resides on the opening tee of a private golf course near Bunker Bay.

101 Chairs    101 Chairs is a workshopped concept to integrate people living at Armstrong Village into the general community of Dunsborough.  I have made a marquette to champion this concept to the CapeCare Board, and perhaps ultimately to Local Government.  The concept is to have each person associated with a “chair with appeal”, in this instance the chair has surfboards for shade and a part of the swell forms the chair and a lounge affect.

August 2018      I revisited 2 pieces that depict family life.   The first is “the family of four” that is at the foreshore, Dunsborough; the other a commission piece of a group of girls that had become good friends, brought together by an exchange program.  Both are jarrah carvings, and both are staying strong and resilient against the weather.

2018 Sculpture By The Bay     The long weekend in March is always a special time.  Dunsborough foreshore comes alive with a sea of sculptures and free concerts each evening.  I again participated in the SBB, this year a jarrah sculpture using the ShouSugiBan method of burning to preserve. “Together”

The piece is 2.4 metres tall, 30 mm thick at the extreme, and 400 mm wide.  I was very pleased with the affect of the process.  It is now resident in Nedlands, Western Australia, but may eventually find its way back to Dunsborough as the new owners plan to move there.

July 2016 ……. Margaret River Entry Statement win …. my concept has been chosen!

Following a rigorous procedure my ‘avatar (community support) tree’ concept for an interactive entry statement for the region was unanimously selected.  Whilst this is a concept, and funds have yet to be raised to create, it is a creation I would like to explain.

The structure brief is for it to be set amongst a parkland cleared area of marri and jarrah trees ranging between 16 and 20 metres tall.  For this to be a statement the scale of the main piece will be significant, possibly 24 metres in height.   The feature of the tree is the vine leaf at 6 metres,  recognising the significant contribution of the wine industry to the recent popularity of the region; the underside (8m x 10m) being a graphic fine art drawing in wire of the many attractions and natural features of the cape to cape area.

The design makes for a 2.4 metre high enlarged red bench under the leaf.  The sketch below hopefully shows the affect.

Due to cost, engineering constraints & wind factors the representation here of 3 large leaves in the heavens is unlikely to be adopted, more likely to be tendrils and shapely buds.  However the affect will be the same, representing the organic growth of the region, the importance of the wine industry, the graphic adventure under the lower leaf, the feeling of ‘announcement’ as you walk through the 4 metre door that ‘you have arrived in Margaret River’, the landscaped surface around the avatar being the natural colours of the region and of cultural importance to the original Australians, and the opportunity to tell friends and family where you are via all forms of media.

The story continues: due to funding restrictions within the Margaret River wine industry and a change of State Government limiting funds for art through Royalties For Regions the entry statement project has been deferred indefinately, in fact I now have ownership of the concept.

1606  The “Window” has been installed to the left of the entrance to The Dunsborough & Districts Country Club, Gifford Rd, Dunsborough.  This jarrah work measures 1800 mm x 900 mm.  The five sports of bowls, croquet, golf, cycling and tennis are seen in the windows, represented by copper inlaid into the jarrah.

Our New “Old” Dining room table, crafted from 150+ year old jarrah tongue and groove ceiling boards and skirting timbers from the original Forrest house at Dwalganup.  With this age I  imagined that this would be very stable, put it together and it wouldn’t move!! Mistake ….. it has a huge mind of its own, like the ghosts of the house live on in the timbers.  It has a story, character, and is beautiful.

Roll Out The Barrel    I have had thoughts and plans around a rolling barrel.  The song “Roll out the Barrel” came to me … the song has strong connections given my father was a keen tinkler of the ivories and used to burst into song when others would join in.  Roll out the Barrel was a favorite, hence the words zing, boom, tararrel in the barrel.  The negative space lets your imagination wander as to his shape, but also highlights the age of the song (40’s-60’s) and the art of barrel beer.  Made from jarrah, copper and steel.

A work that highlights the sensual grain of jarrah and the variation of rich colours.  This hardwood gave me a real buzz when shaping the muscle definitions, which are deliberately elongated or enlarged.

A Barrel roll comedy, the intention that it be a maquette for a much larger exhibition piece.  The cellar hand rolls the barrel and it gets away and strikes another cellar-hand in the derriere, who throws his hands in the air.  Made from jarrah and parts of an oak barrel.

This is the culprit, a portly little fellow ….. reminds me of the shape of some of the winemakers I know!!

This is an exercise in shape and story.

1405 Knee Deep Barrel logo ….. with winemaker Bruce Dukes. Oak barrels and jarrah seat. The piece is in the restaurant at Knee Deep, Johnston Road, Willyabrup.  Bruce is often to be found at Cape Naturaliste Vitners.

1404 Salut! Jarrah, copper and steel. Wonderful swirl in the timber in the shape of a glass.

1403 “I Play Jarrtar”. The grain on this discarded piece of jarrah said “double bass”. Cut back and worked on it looked better, then add stainless steel sinks and wire – voila!   This resides at an AirBnB place in Boyup Brook.

1310 Alice. Jarrah and copper (rose) depicts the feeling I have about rose blooms – wonderful aroma, sensuous, feminine.    This piece is in the garden at “Dwalganup”, Mayanup, Western Australia.

1308 Tulip. … and me! Jarrah and copper. They stand tall and are king, or queen, of the early spring flowers.  This piece is in the garden at Raupaki Estate, Boyup Brook.

1303 Family of Four. Jarrah and copper … represents a city family that comes to Dunsborough, the young ones slip into the lifestyle easily, Mum waits for Dad to chill out.  This ‘family’ was acquired by The City of Busselton and reside in this place on the foreshore at the end of Dunn Bay Road in Dunsborough.

1211 Bold Park Community School entry statement. Jarrah, copper and tile mosaic. 17 pieces of jarrah, copper that frames out the logo, and the mosaic words produced in a workshop with the students and parents.

1203 Forrest Music. Jarrah 12 piece xylophone with a forest backdrop. One of the many “bong” sounds in a silent setting.  This piece was purchased for The Bold Park Community School in Osborne Park.

1103 Apple and Pear. A statement about free trade and the demise of the Australian apple and pear industry.  This was entered into the 2nd Sculpture By The Bay exhibition and won The People’s Choice award.  It resides on the verge outside our house, meaning we reside at the ‘apple & pear house’ rather than a street number and name.  The fruit has ripened and fallen, often during the July storms, but fruit again appears.