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.
If you would like to find out more about us, our meetings, our classes or our future events, or simply to see more of the wonderful work our members create, please visit our official website at https://www.woodartworkshops.co.uk. There you can explore our full gallery, read our newsletters, find out how to join, or get in touch to learn more. You can also view our complete archive of past work on our Flickr page, showcasing decades of creativity, skill and passion.
Crafted by hand, inspired by the stars, rooted in history — and forever linked to that little Tea Cake that went to the Moon. 🪵🌕✨
