Profiles

"I never get over the excitement when you first cut open a log. Each tree has the potential to grow a masterpiece, and seeing its beauty for the first time is a thrill beyond compare", says US maker Austin Heitzman.

A good carved caricature identifies and accentuates the distinctive feature of the person, explains Townsville based woodworker and teacher Isaac Ferguson.

Martin Goebel, USA leads a small team of craftspeople who create high end furniture and fitouts for a broad based clientele.

Art imitates nature in the stunning wood-toned marquetry portraits of moths created by Clemens Söllner. "Artistic recreations of their perfectly camouflaged bodies with the material they want to imitate made sense to me," he says.

UK sculptor Alison Crowther creates sinuous textures on the ancient English oak trees she gives voice to. Story by Robert Howard.

"I started carving with a Stanley knife, not something I would recommend. (Woodworking) was an addictive slippery slope from there..."

"It was meant to be quick and easy", said Lana Kagan of the piece she designed and built for Beyond Ordinary, now on show at Sturt Galleries.

‘Just because you’re a highly skilled craftsperson doesn’t mean you have a right to make a living from it’, says fourth generation maker Jon Goulder. Interview by Adam Markowitz.

Set in Italy, this is a story about a family business that carries on the tradition of one of the pinnacles of Italian design, the Chiavarina chair.

How a newfound passion for woodworking became a new career.

Thorkild Hansen passed away on November 6, 2021. This interview was recorded in 2017 and wasn't made for broadcasting, however it's now an opportunity to learn a little more about a key figure at the Centre For Fine Woodworking, NZ.

UK marquetry artist Olivia Faire uses wood and other materials to create subtle imagery inspired by nature and the built environment. Interview by Rick Knopke.

Edmund Rosenstengel must rate as one of Australia's finest cabinetmakers. Story by Troy McDonald.

Terry Martin investigates the life and works of Peter Harley.

For US furniture designer and maker Leslie Webb, woodworking was the perfect synthesis of maths, science and creativity. Interview by Linda Nathan.

Twenty-one years ago an exhibition of furniture drew inspiration from the locality and landscapes of the trees it was created from. Reviewed by Hamish Hill.