Wood is a key factor keeping one group of Adelaide seniors healthy and productively occupied. They collect it and season it; store it and shape it into useful and beautiful items; adding value, often to something that would otherwise be burnt or sent to landfill.
These are members of Northern Turners, an Adelaide woodturning club with about 95 members, of whom about 75% are over 60. Despite attempts to achieve a balanced age structure, seniors have more time to devote to the things they enjoy. They also have more patience and a longer attention span than the average youngster. Quite a few are in their 80s, most are fit and healthy. Many believe their interesting hobby helps keep them young.
Younger people have conflicting priorities such as work commitments and taking the kids to sporting events, leaving little time for hobbies. And one member, formerly a surgeon, restricted his woodworking until he retired because of fears that injuring his hands could end his career.
Some members had careers in woodworking and are now happy to pass on the skills and their love of the work to younger members. But even in their own work, they are no longer bound by pressure to produce what a customer wants within time and budgetary limitations and can concentrate on expressing their more artistic ideas. Some work for many hours to produce a thing of beauty that could not be afforded if they were charging by the hour. Their reward is in the form of recognition by others and if someone purchases the work at a modest cost, the funds usually find their way back into purchasing a new tool or more raw material.
Northern Turners is not just a club for grumpy old men to sit around and talk about the good old days. For a start, quite a few women are members. And the focus is on woodturning and the motto is “seeking excellence”. No room for slack work here. Beginners are accepted but are encouraged to learn how to select wood and the correct use of tools. Above all, they must follow clear workplace health and safety procedures. As they progress, regular Show and Tell sessions celebrate their achievements, whilst providing suggestions for improvement as appropriate. Occasional competitions encourage further effort. The club also arranges regular workshops bringing world renowned woodturners (eg Liam O’Neill (Ireland), March 2015; Mick O’Donnell (Scotland), Dec 2014); Jimmy Clewes (USA), Nov 2014) to Adelaide to demonstrate various aspects of their specialised skills. Many of the newcomers have graduated to exhibiting and selling work of high standard.
Northern Turners exhibits at several Woodgroup SA venues during the year and hosts its own exhibition, “Wood Revisited”, at Port Adelaide each October.
Along with woodturning, the club provides all the usual opportunities for wider involvement. There’s a committee for those so minded; there are social events for members and their partners, there are charities to which some members contribute and there is the camaraderie of talking over some common problem during lunch or coffee.
Wood Revisited is Northern Turners’ major annual exhibition and sale of work. It will be held at the Black Diamond Gallery, 66 St Vincent Street, Port Adelaide, from October 17 to November 1.
Further information: www.woodgroupsa.org.au/northern turners/
Northern Turners President: Jan Beare (08) 8165 1543
Facebook: Northern Turners – Adelaide
