Wood becomes art in Tref Roberts’ hands

The Hat (an Oxford straw boater) was Tref Roberts’ ornamental entry in the National Association of Woodworkers NZ Art of Wood 2023 competition. The hat is made from poplar in one piece. The whole hat is covered with pyrography in a basket weave pattern. The hat is then undercoated and painted with acrylic paint to resemble straw. The band on the exterior is made with mahogany veneer. The hat liner is made from many pieces of mahogany veneer in a vertical pattern.The stand is jacaranda with pyrography embellishment both top and base.It is basically ornamental but Tref says it does fit a head, “if you have lots of hair!” Picture supplied

A leading woodcraft artist will demonstrate woodturnng decoration and embellishing in Gisborne later this month at an open meeting of the Gisborne Woodworking Club.

Tref Roberts, president of the National Association of Woodworkers NZ, has been woodturning for about 20 years.  Initially he worked mostly on the basics, trying to master form and function as best he could,  but says now he has “thrown caution to the wind” and  loves to experiment with a range of artistic ideas, from colour to pyrography, from miniature to massive, and “the quirkier the idea the better”.

The former Air Force officer says he also really enjoys the journey of  working with wood and appreciates the whole process from preparing wet timber through to the finished product years later.

He visits woodturning club sand groups throughout the country to demonstrate the craft as he “enjoys giving back to the community”.

He has  served on North Shore Woodturners Committee for over 15 years including as president.

He has  been on the National Association of Woodworkers Committee for five years (three as president) and is proud to have instigated the the national Art of Wood Exhibition and the NAW Wood Expo (a demonstration weekend held as part of the AGM).

“My demonstration in Gisborne will be based around embellishment, particularly pyrography,  the use of electric pen tips and making tips,” he said.

The local club meeting demonstration will be held at the Gisborne Woodworking clubrooms opposite Enterprise Pool in Nelson Park, at 7pm on Thursday, November 30.