Australian Wood Review – June 2017

48 Australian Wood Review

WOODCARVING

Carving a

V-Grooved Bowl

For Robert Howard, creating his best work is about enjoying

processes learnt through a disciplined approach.

M

y work revolves around beauty. I have no patience

with ‘deep and meaningful’ stuff, with its requisite

post-completion-rationalisation, often detailed in a little

essay tacked up on the wall nearby. For me to like what

I make, it has to be something that I believe is beautiful.

I also find that I do my best work when I am just

having fun, because it is light hearted, stress-free,

whimsical – just doodling about. My mind is free

to simply play. But at the same time, I am able to

bring to bear everything I have learned about what

I find to be beautiful, and I use this to refine and

judge the lines and forms that my play produces.

There is this little dance, with the play of free creativity

bouncing around within a serious aesthetic discipline,

or framework.