What the other half gets up to

Geoff works with wood. This is really the understatement of the year. He lives, eats, sleeps and dreams WOOD. I often think that its amusing that our passions are almost the same word but for the last letter - 'd' for him, 'l' for me.

Anyway - I want to show you round his workshop.

He has lots of wood.

 

 

and lots of tools

and boxes and drawers full of interesting things

And in this big space and with the help of the people who work for him he makes amazing things

The latest 'thing' to be created is a boat - a ship-wrecked, land-locked boat!it is going to be in a children's playground near us. it's hard to photograph in the workshop, I'll get a better picture when it's been 'launched'

and here is a big roof for a studio he's making - I'm a bit worried that this one won't fit out of the doors, but he's assured me that it's all carefully measured!

Sometimes, he makes theatre sets for Dodgy Clutch here are some photos of photos so not excellent quality

 

these are
1. an iceberg on fire in the river! This was a New Year Celebration in Middlesborough
2. the tusks of two elephants - not much wood I know - but still a lovely job and a wonderful show
3. the figures on this bus were made by the threatre company - -Geoff made the bus - the figures are larger than lifesize so that gives you a sense of scale. This was was set alight for another New Year's eve thing in Newcastle
4. this piano player was in the middle of the lake at Wallington Hall for a celebration a while ago - I don't think he was torched if I remember rightly - he had piano music blasting out from under the lid of his piano balancing on one leg in the lake. I can't remember how that did that?

I like the work he does for the Dodgy's it's a bit more wild than the straight lines he's usually preoccupied with.

Anyway, he works very hard and I appreciate him. They do get a cup of tea sometimes, but like everything else, it always has a thin film of sawdust on it

Comments

[wendy]

A very talented man. The wood piles are lovely.

[Sheila]

Hi M fantastic article on Geoff and his wood, I really enjoyed it, must say Geoff looks very fetching with his beard.!!
The theatre sets are really great. I especially like the bus and piano. Look forward to seeing the baot launched...:)

[Rhea]

It's very cool to be invited into someone's workshop!

[Annie]

The best thing is the SMELL of the workshop - it's just fabulous.

I really enjoyed visiting during the Art Tour, not only to view the very fine work but also to sniff and snort my way around the wood store. Lovely to be reminded on your blog, Kate!

love, Annie