Michael revives old time timber skills
Michael Thomson woodworker cropped
JUNE 2017 | Lorraine Clarke
When Michael Thomson sets off for work each day, he doesn’t have far to go. He climbs a few rustic steps from the house up to his workshop with a clear view to the horizon across the treetops of Golden Valley.
Chickens scratch hopefully in the sawdust. Some goats and a large rootling pig can be heard nearby. Not far away is a tumble of roly poly Jack Russell puppies.
Michael and his young family moved to the area almost 10 years ago. “The mentality here is a lot more balanced. I think people come here to really enjoy life.” In this idyllic setting he sculpts unique timber furniture, far from Western Australia where he was trained traditionally in furniture making, cabinets and kitchens. These days, he says, “I make whatever people want that’s a bit more bespoke. I’m willing to work with people to design things.”
Market-goers are impressed by the rich timbers and organic shapes of the beautiful screen doors made by Michael. “The whole essence of my furniture is to give the personal touch, something that can be passed on as an heirloom. I create inviting house doors rather than security doors. People who have bought one item for their house often return for something else, and then another. They want to buy timber furniture that’s had love put into it.”
Michael’s tools of trade include many hand tools employed by greenwood workers. One of his signature articles is the trug, a traditional English wooden basket used for gathering fruit and vegetables, flowers or eggs.
To make these, he splits wood with a froe and beetle, shapes timber with a shave horse and draw knife, heats timber in a steam box until it can be bent into voluptuous curves and then leaves it to cool in a bending form while it takes on its permanent shape.
“I’ve always believed that a straight line is a wasted opportunity,” said Michael. Elm slats form the body of the basket, with sycamore rim and handle. “Sycamore is a weed here in Tassie, but it is a good furniture timber. I have a constant supply of small logs from a farm where it has taken over.”
Michael is keen to encourage greater use of our lovely river as an asset to be enjoyed rather than an obstacle to be got over. He loves to get out on the water, so one of his recent creations is a handsome timber flat-bottomed drift boat. “They are very stable for standing up in and casting from. The oars are mainly for steering. You can rig a little outboard on them, and an anchor.
It only weighs 50 kg so it can be put on a roofrack and handled by one person. I've had it floating down the Meander several times.”
Woolmers Estate, Sheffield's Steamfest, Entally House and the Tasmanian Craft Fair are all venues where Michael's craft can be seen in live displays of traditional woodworking. He will be the Featured Artisan in the Garden Section at Deloraine's 2017 Craft Fair, demonstrating steam bending of timber.
Michael can be contacted at 0487 397 362 or via www.tasmaniansculpturalfurniture.com.
Photo | Mike Moores
