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At the event, meet over 65 traditional artisans of heritage craft, who gather to showcase their skills, share their knowledge and their passion in their craft. They will be demonstrating throughout the event.
Plus Craft Beer: A range of craft beer to discover form Your Mates – taste and enjoy! Meet the brewers from Your Mates, Saturday July 1 at the Craft Beer Open Door and listen to their talk on the podium – Domestic Arts venue, Heart of Gold Craft, Saturday July 1 at 12 noon.
Plus Artisan Heritage Markets: Most of the exhibitors will have their handmade wares for sale onsite – a chance to pick up a unique, handcrafted and quality gift – for yourself or someone special! – straight from it’s creator. Support our artisan community!
And, while on site, catch up with the crew from Carbatec at their stand in the Woodcraft Arena: Family owned Carbatec has grown to become one of the largest and most trusted Woodworking handtools and machinery suppliers in Australia. With retail stores in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart, Auckland, Christchurch and a huge online store, you can be sure that; if you are interested in working with wood – Carbatec is the place to go.
The Woodcraft Arena is presented by Carbatec, Home of Woodworking
Come along, meet the Woodies:
Master Woodcarver & Fretworker – Bruce Weier is a renowned master craftsman in all aspects of wood carving, turning, fretwork and antique restoration. On the rare occasions when he isn’t working on commissions from around the world, he’s busy creating intricate and beautifully detailed signature works, releasing the varied flora and fauna hidden within each piece of wood. His aim is to continue to create wood carvings in the style of famous 18th century English carver, Grinling Gibbons.
Meet Bruce at his stand next to Carbatec
http://www.bruceweierwoodcraft.com
Gympie & District Woodworkers Club – All weekend, the “woodies” demonstrated many aspects of woodworking, from age-old pyrography, woodturning and scrollsawing to handcarving and spoonsmithing. On show will be all manner of wooden treasures, from little “comfort birds” to guitars, harps and more.
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and spoonsmith Deirdre Wilson – As one of the “woodies”, spooner Deirdre Wilson lovingly handcarves intricate and detailed Welsh Love Spoons. A centuries old tradition in Wales, young men used to whittle a love spoon to give to their beaus, carving symbols of love, hearts, Celtic knots, bells and horseshoes. Be sure to ask about workshops.
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Spoons by Jeff – A twisted stick with a odd protruding lump, a gnarly knobbly burl, a battered offcut from a cracked stump – all the stuff from which Jeff’s inventive, elegant spoons and delicate bowls are so beautifully crafted. Traditionally functional or irregular, wonderfully textural and tactile, his works are sought after by collectors and galleries throughout Australia.
www.facebook.com/SpoonsByJeff/
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Whittler – John Gerritsen was a man of the land. No matter where his working life took him – remote areas in the Gulf and the outback, he was never without his penknife is his pocket… in a quiet moment, to pick up a piece of wood and start whittling was as natural as breathing.
Over the last 30-odd years working with wood, John has notched up an incredible record – carving literally thousands of life-sized dogs, cats and birds, and whittling many more miniatures. He delights in finding a piece of driftwood or dry camphor laurel and working with it’s natural form to create animals and birds. “It’s all about the attitude, expression and body language” he says with a smile.
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Penmaker – Mark Wilson retired and found a new passion in life, turning pens and making hand crafted boxes. His attention to detail produces beautiful works of art. He runs courses on pen making at The Gympie and District Woodworkers Club.
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and the Luthier – not to be missed!:
Luther & Sensory Harpmaker – Bruce Walker’s shed tells all about his love of woodwork – on benches cluttered with tools and sawdust lay pieces of beautifully crafted guitars, ukeleles, intricately inlaid boxes, carvings and more. From the rafters hang a forest of turned chair legs, scrolled posts and rough planks, all in various stages of refinement. A talented artisan and woodwork tutor, Bruce is renowned for his sensory harps, which help in healing through musical therapy and the sensation of vibrations for the elderly and informed.
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Shinglesplitter – Shingles & Shakes – Col is a regular demonstrator of shingle splitting at Gympie’s Woodworks Museum. In our pioneer days, rooves were first covered with bark, and later with shingles split from a then ready supply of materials. In recent times, even the tools are in the nearly forgotten past. Col demonstrates the what and the how of this once essential craft.
Col will be bringing some of his crosscut saws – Have-a-go! at the crosscut saw!
The Makers’s Fair Woodcraft Arena is presented by Carbatec, the Home of Woodworking