Dreaming Wild: Darren Wakefield

Darren Wakefield, box detail

“When you live on the West Coast of Tasmania, the wild wilderness gets into your soul and drives your dreams. It feeds your thoughts to create”, says craftsman Darren Wakefield, who describes himself as an old-fashioned joiner.

“The extraordinary timbers of our wild places give me inspiration. To be able to work with these timbers is a privilege and to combine the timbers with my dreams is a unique challenge.”

Boxes by Darren Wakefield

Darren lives and works on the West Coast of Tasmania, and over the years has honed his skills to develop a unique style. Since moving to the West Coast in 2010, he has worked with Huon pine in particular. “All the marquetry inlay work is hand cut and the platypus is hand carved. I don’t use any CNC or lasers in my work – it is all still hand made using traditional methods”, Darren reiterated.

Darren Wakefield, marquetry detail

From October 29 to November 25, 2023 an exhibition of Darren Wakefield’s recent work will feature at the Huon Pine Shop & Gallery in Strahan, Tasmania. Visitors can meet the artist between 5pm–6:30pm on November 2, 9, 16 and 23.

Two years in the making, this collection of boxes and other work started with a good friend pushing Darren to create a unique piece for his own family. Challenging himself to create something special, Darren combined carving, marquetry and intarsia techniques to embellish the surfaces and interiors of his artworks and drive the development of his own style.

Photos: Lea Walpole

Learn more from the Huon Pine Shop at huonpineshop.com.au