Editor’s Letter
6 Australian Wood Review
The human touch
Give ten people a piece of wood, ask them to make something and,
unsurprisingly, you will get different results. Technique, skill, precision,
the laws of geometry and also wood movement are critical, but
nowadays can to some extent be mitigated and mimicked by machine
and digital technology.
However I like to think the human element can’t be simulated.
A ‘smart’ answer might be to add an algorithm for random imperfection
but I’m not giving ground on that either. Machine learning, artificial
intelligence and robotics are developing at a fast rate but will they
ever be able to design and make objects that convey the historical and
cultural influences that add up to the human touch?Personal journeys
Byron Raleigh, on the cover this issue, is a Melbourne based maker
who grew up in central Victoria but studied furniture design at the
University of Tasmania. As a lover of fine ‘mid-century’ machinery
and processes his work stands at the intersection of (albeit older)
technology and human values, and he expresses those ideas
through his work.
All roads seemed indirectly to lead to Tasmania this issue, and
the connection points were influences that went back in time.
Hape Kiddle, maker and sculptor is also featured this issue and I
discovered that he like Byron Raleigh also studied furniture making
at UTAS. Both look back to formative years under the tutelage
of John Smith and Kevin Perkins, and yet both have taken very
individualistic paths as makers.
Hape’s fluid carved forms reflect his connection to place and the
natural environment, and he highlights both the strength and fragility
of that relationship, nowhere felt more powerfully than in the
modern context.
Also from Tasmania, Laura McCusker is a designer maker who this
issue lists her ‘tools for design’ in an abridged version of the talk she
gave at AWR L!VE last year. Here is yet another humanistic approach
that is about finding inspiration, working within limits and working
with other people – these are design tools that can’t be coded.
Another personal approach is taken by Troy McDonald in his practical
and common sense account of ways to reduce wood dust in your
workshop. In the light of known health risks his is also a story about
the importance of prioritising things that can literally seem easier to
just keep sweeping away.Student Awards 2019
Wood Review’s Student Awards 2019 are now open for entry and
remain Australia’s only online showcase for woodwork by year 11
and 12 secondary students. Our website gallery will display entries
as they arrive and some will also be featured on our Instagram and
Facebook pages. Information and entry is at http://www.woodreview.
com.au/student-awards Backing all this up we have great
industry sponsors who are passionate about supporting younger
woodworkers, see p.42 for more information.
And by the way, this issue we have a very nice give-away from 3M
Australia for subscribers, one designed with personal safety in mind –
details are on p.26.Linda Nathan, Editor
[email protected]http://www.woodreview.com.auAustralian Wood Review is copyright, no par t of it can be
reproduced in any form by any means without prior writ ten
permission of the publisher. All material is printed in good faith,
however the publisher will not be held liable for any form of damage
whatsoever or liability, claim, or proceeding arising from printing
of same. The opinions of writers and adver tisers presented in this
magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers.
SAFE T Y: Woodworking can be dangerous. Do not under take
any work, process or action without adequate skill, training,
safety equipment and/or awareness.EDITOR:
Linda Nathan
[email protected]
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS:
Raf Nathan, Robert Howard, Richard Raffan,
Richard Vaughan, Neil Erasmus, Philip Ashley
CONTRIBUTORS:
James Brook, Kerryn Carter, Damion Fauser,
Jugo Ilic, Charles Mak, Terry Martin,
Troy McDonald, Darren Oates, Andrew Potocnik,
Graham Sands, Vic Tesolin, Peter Young.
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ISSN:
1039-
COVER:
Byron Raleigh in his workshop,
Northcote, Vic
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY:
Fred Kroh