Rave about Arts

Tony Docherty Wood Sculpture Weekend

On the weekend of the 2^nd and 3^rd of April 2016 the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council was particularly pleased to collaborate with the Hopetoun Men in Sheds to present a wood sculpture workshop by Tony Docherty.

 

The weekend began with Tony Docherty and his 10 participants heading out to the Metz property to fossick for a piece or two of wood to work on. By trekking across farmland and bush scrub to look for a raw sculptural piece, it gave the participants a real appreciation for the mysterious sculptures that would be the end result.

Once back at Men in Sheds, the wooden treasures were wire brushed, air blasted and pressure cleaned to allow the creative process to begin. With Tony’s guidance, the ladies and gentlemen used a variety of power and hand tools to sculpt their pieces, not to forget hours of sanding by hand to achieve dramatic results.

 

Within the process of hand carving a raw piece into a beautiful sculpture, the participants discovered that it involved hard work and frustrations, which slowly evolved into a realisation of their creative talents as their sculptures came to life. Some of the sculptures were finished and oiled, and others will be worked on for many more hours of enjoyment until a satisfactory result is achieved.

 

Tony’s sense of humour and light heartedness contributed a great atmosphere to his Wood Sculpture Workshop. There was sweat and tears (of laughter) and a real sense of coming together. We thank Tony Docherty for coming to Hopetoun once again and for passing on some unique tips of his trade.

 

Hopetoun Men in Sheds was a fantastic and well equipped venue, and a special mention goes to Kym (Whitey) White for his warm hospitality as host for the weekend.
 

 The Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council looks forward to continuing its collaboration with Tony Docherty and Hopetoun Men in Sheds, and we thank the unsung volunteers who also contributed to a great weekend with superb results.

For some, the pile of wood next to the fireplace will never look the same again!