Rachel Eastman has an exhibition of fine woodwork opening this Sunday, July 7, at Lemon Hill Gallery.
The word ‘fine’ is multilayered when applied to Rachel’s work as she is not just interested in the actual quality of her workmanship and her art but also in preserving traditional trades, safeguarding timber resources and preventing unnecessary wood waste going to landfill or into low value products. This is ‘fine work’ at every level.
She has a named her exhibition Works in Re-claimed Wood.
“The work on display is a collection in the evolution of themed design works and storytelling from concept, through to model making,” gallery owner Elizabeth Blakeman said.
Rachel will also display some techniques used in traditionally made and restored furniture.
She was awarded in the highly recommended category at the Australian Wood Exhibition at the Orbost Exhibition Centre in 2022, was invited to exhibit at the Geelong Design Week in 2020 and in 2019 was a finalist in an Ethical Enterprise Competition with Moral Fairground, which is an organisation aimed at fair and ethical business practice and social enterprise.
Rachel has a most interesting background both here and in the United Kingdom. She was originally formally trained in architecture and construction management, and later in set design, story boarding and model-making in both Australian and UK universities.
She has been interested, for a long time, in story telling through film and theatre, and has worked in set design and construction for local theatre in Australia from 2012 and then in film and theatre production in London in 2015/16. She has used her skills in local amateur theatre, in immersive theatre groups and in independent film companies.
She is currently a member of the Bairnsdale and District Woodcraft Group and works most weekends on a series of puppet carving projects.
“Puppetry is making a mark this year as Lemon Hill Gallery will be having an evening of puppetry in the Wairewa Hall in November,” Elizabeth said.
For further details about the opening of this exhibition please see the public notices section in the Lakes Post this week.
IMAGE: Rachel Eastman’s fine woodwork exhibition opens at Lemon Hill Gallery this weekend. (PS)
