I had worked in the woodwork area, semi professionally, during this time, taking the plunge and resigning from teaching in 1993 to full time woodworking. The focus of my work has changed, from predominantly woodturning in the early days to now concentrating mostly on custom made furniture and one off “Art off the lathe pieces”.

Most of my time is spent designing and making furniture and decorative pieces for private clients and select galleries, namely, Bungendore Woodworks, Australian Woodworks at Darling Harbour and in the Hunter Valley. We are also represented in USA by Del Mano Gallery in Los Angles. A highlight of commissions was received in 2007 when I was asked to make a Display Cabinet for the Lodge in Canberra, the official home of our Prime Minister.

I really enjoy the relationships that are built when designing special pieces for clients; I feel a real sense of pride and satisfaction making them happy with their unique piece of furniture. Most clients will then commission me to create additional pieces. Through word of mouth, their family and friends often request furniture to be made, which ensures future work.

I also enjoy teaching others to make furniture and woodturning / carving, running night classes, weekend workshops and five-day classes in my workshop. These workshops have become very popular with people having to book in close to twelve months ahead to secure a position.

My main hope is that the pieces that I make will be treasured for years to come and will become tomorrows antiques. We have pieces in private collections in many countries, including a growing list in the USA.

I also enjoy demonstrating my skills for woodworking clubs and special wood conferences around the world and I feel that special skills need to be passed on so these will not be lost to future generations.

Exhibitions

• Pacific Connections. Del Mano gallery Los Angles USA. A group exhibition involving work from Australian and New Zealand Woodworkers.
• Small Treasures” Part of group exhibition Del Mano Gallery Los Angles USA March 2007
• “Form and Spirit” International Woodturning Exchange exhibition at The Wood Turning Centre Philadelphia. August 1st to 15th October.
• “Small Treasures” Part of group exhibition Del Mano Gallery Los Angles USA March 2006
• Turned Wood Part of group exhibition Del Mano Gallery Los Angles USA July 2006
• Scobie Family Exhibition Tighes Hill Gallery Newcastle NSW March 2006
• Sofa New York represented by Del Mano Gallery 2005
• “Turned Wood” Part of group exhibition Del Mano Gallery Los Angles USA July 2005
• Collectors of wood Art Exhibition Philadelphia USA October 2005
• “Small Treasures” Part of group exhibition Del Mano Gallery Los Angles USA March 2005.
• Grafton Regional Gallery “River and Wood” an invitation exhibition with 6 other craftspeople. This Exhibition travelled to Mosman (Sydney) Gallery.
• Selected Group Sculptural Woodturning Exhibition at Deloraine Tasmania. Each State represented. October 2004.
• Tweed Wood Art Award 2004. A special invitation exhibition featuring 19 Designer makers from all states in Australia. The theme was “Recycle”
• Bungendore Woodworks three month exhibition, with Sculptor John Vanderkolk March 2004
• Collectors of Wood Art Conference Exhibition in Santa Fee September 2003. Represented by Gidgee Gallery.
• Something Special. September 2003. Group exhibition at Bungendore Woodworks to represent twenty years of the gallery being open.
• Coffs Harbour Regional Art Show 2003. Prize for best piece of furniture.
• SOFA Chicago 2002, Erosion Wall Piece, Represented by Narek Galleries.
• “Crate Expectations” Tweed Wood Art Award 2002. A special invitation exhibition featuring Designer makers from all states in Australia.
• “Class Acts 2” Invitation furniture exhibition of “One Off” pieces, Bungendore Woodworks September 2001.
• Collectors of Wood Art Exhibition, Minnesota USA. September 2001.
• Bungendore Woodworks three month exhibition, with Liz Scobie and Sculptor John Vanderkolk February to May 2001
• Tweed Regional Gallery acquisition award, 2001.
• Wood masters at the ABC, an exhibition of the Woodworkers Association of NSW. Won an award for best piece finished with Feast Watson’s products.
• Coffs Harbour Art Exhibition – First in furniture section. 2000 and 2001
• Two man exhibition at Bungendore Woodworks, for a two-month period. May, June 1999.
• Creations Fine Woodwork Gallery, Delaware. USA. International Turning Conference. 1998
• Wood Dreaming. An Exhibition of 27 of Australia’s leading wood turners held at the Art and Design Gallery Brisbane. 1996.
• Wood Dreaming, three year long travelling exhibition all of 1997 to Regional Galleries throughout QLD and Northern NSW.

Recent Demonstrations

2007

• New Zealand Woodturning Symposium in Hastings, Hawkes Bay.
• Turnfest 06 Kooralbyn QLD April 2007

2006

• American Association of Woodturners Symposium Louisville Kentucky.
• Demonstration with Buck’s County Woodturners July 2006
• Demonstration with Lee High Valley Woodturners July 2006
• One day demonstration and one day hands on with Big Island Woodturners Hawaii.
• One Dat demonstration with Honolulu Woodturners, Hawaii.
• Turnfest 06 Kooralbyn QLD April 2006
• One day demonstration Woodturners of the Hunter at Newcastle March
• Two day workshop Western Sydney Woodturners at Blacktown.

2005

• 10 Day tour of North Queensland demonstrations at the following places:
  • Burdiken Club at Home Hill two days
  • Bowen Afternoon demonstration
  • Clermont. Three days Hands on Workshop
  • Mackay Two days demonstration.
  • Wood turning symposium in Utah USA during June
  • One day workshops for the following groups in USA
  • Bay area Woodturners San Francisco California USA
  • Central Coast Woodturners Nipoma California USA
  • Silicon Valley Woodturners San Jose California USA
  • Two day workshop in Rockhampton QLD

• “Turnfest 05.” One of ten demonstrators at “Turn Fest” for a three-day woodturning symposium at Mount Tamborine QLD with 210 participants.

2004

• October One day demonstration for Knox Woodturners in Melbourne
• October Afternoon demonstration for Peninsular Woodturners in Melbourne
• November One Day demonstration for Koonang Woodturners in Melbourne
• November One Day demonstration for Carroll’s Woodcraft supplies Drysdale Vic
• November Evening demonstration for Riverina Woodturners in Melbourne
• July American Association of Woodturners three-day Symposium in Florida USA.
• July Evening Workshop for Central Florida Woodturners Florida USA
• July One day workshop for Glendale Woodturners in Los Angles USA
• August One day workshop for Silicon valley Woodturners in San Jose USA.
• March “Turnfest” One of ten demonstrators at “Turn Fest” for a three-day woodturning symposium at Mount Tamborine QLD with 210 participants.

In my workshop I have run 7 weeklong classes with 6 people so far this year and 6 weekend classes, as well as two nights per week for the last seven years. Topics have ranged from Woodturning and carving to sculpting and furniture making.

June 2003

• One day Demonstration with Mid North Coast Woodworkers at my workshop.

Woodturn 2003 March 2003

• One of ten demonstrators at “Turn Fest” for a three-day woodturning symposium at Coolum QLD with 210 participants.

November 2002

• Two Day Hands on workshop at Ipswich QLD. 10 Participants.

October 2002

• One day workshop with Bayside Woodturners, Brisbane. 35 Participants.

October 2002

• One day workshop with Gold Coast Woodturners, QLD. 22 Participants.

September 2002

• One Day hands on workshop fro Townsville Woodturners North QLD. Also evening demonstration to Townsville Manual Arts Teachers.

April 20 & 21, 2002

• One of four featured demonstrators at Sydney Woodturners Guild Annual Symposium held at Meadowbank College of TAFE in Sydney. 140 participants.

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