This collection of hand-turned, space-themed items was showcased at our recent
exhibition, representing some of the skills and design inspiration produced by the
members of Woodart Workshops — a member-led collective of carvers, turners and
wood artists.
Every piece you see here has been created on the lathe, using a carefully selected mix of
native hardwoods like oak, walnut and beech, alongside exotic timbers including
padauk, mahogany and purpleheart, chosen specifically for their rich colours, striking
grain patterns and beautiful natural textures.
The range features a variety of designs, each one endeavouring to capture the magic and
nostalgia of space exploration and science fiction history. You see classic retro-inspired
rockets, shaped with contrasting timber sections and polished, tapering nose cones,
standing firmly on turned solid bases. There are iconic designs paying homage to classic
science fiction — including the instantly recognisable silhouette of the Starship
Enterprise, crafted from light and dark oak, with detailed hull sections, elongated engine
nacelles and delicate brass support rods.
Also included are tall, slender exploratory rockets, built using segmented turning
techniques and include some that reference and acknowledge the work of the talented
American turner, Johnna Klukas, who has agreed with us that our experience of making
and fitting rocket fins takes longer to make than the rockets! We sincerely appreciated
her comments on our efforts.
We have imaginative space cruisers and planetary ships — featuring rounded, bulbous
hulls, hand-carved swept-back fins, tiny inlaid portholes and distinctive curved tail
sections harking back to the era of Dan Dare, Flash Gordon and the Eagle comics of the
1950’s — many resting on natural, live-edge timber bases that look like rugged alien
planetary landscapes.
Following the creation of these rockets and spaceships a club member was inspired by
the recent landing, in the Pacific Ocean, of Integrity. The capsule that had circled themoon having been launched on the Artemis 2 rocket, a model of which featured in the
exhibition.
The parachutes reminded him of the wrappers for a famous teacake made in Scotland
by a company called Tunnocks. A model was made and sent to Tunnocks in Motherwell
just for fun. Perhaps they would find it amusing and maybe it could raise funds for a
charity chosen by them.
Little did we know that this had been noticed long before and Tunnocks had indeed
sponsored Charlie Duke, one of the astronauts from Apollo 16 on his visit to the UK
some time ago. He had signed a photograph of Apollo 16’s splashdown which now
hangs in their boardroom.
We were delighted to learn that the board of directors liked the piece so much that they
had decided to include it in their companies display case. A very enjoyable bit of
recognition indeed.
