Tall timber – and short – to go on display in Geelong

Andrew Mathieson
WOODWRIGHT Steven Marsh has a talent that makes even his hobby colleagues gasp in disbelief.
The Bell Park man carves out barrels and cuts and glues the intricate timber shapes together to create intricately crafted timber pens.
“I’m most likely only person in Australia who does them to this extent,” he says.
“When I brought them to the group everybody sort of stopped still and couldn’t believe it.”
Fascinations for everything constructed of wood – from rocking horses to spinning tops – will be on show at Barwon Valley Woodwrights’ annual exhibition tomorrow and Sunday.
Wood burning, turning, carving and restoration will feature in live demonstrations.
Steven says scroll-sawing pictures are also sure to be a crowd favourite.
“One of the guys in the club does lions and birds in all different colours and basically makes a wooden painting,” he explains.
Barwon Valley Woodwrights has about 50 members who meet twice a month.
The members hope to gauge further interest in the craft at the exhibition.
Steven says woodwright members live for their hobby, with this weekend the biggest date on their annual calendar.
“It’s more of a hobby but the hobby can take over your life at times,” he laughs.
Proceeds from the sale of the pens and spinning tops will go to United Way, an organisation providing financial support to more than 70 community care agencies in the region.
The exhibition will be at Geelong’s State Government offices, on the corner of Fenwick and Little Malop streets.