Sculpture links forests and ship building

The link between timber from the Mid North Coast and the boat building industry will be put on permanent display through a sculpture to be erected near the Laurieton United Servicemen’s Club.

State Forests of NSW will sponsor the sculpture through the supply of local timber.

“This sculpture will be part of the Seven Villages Sculptural Identity Project,” said the convenor of the Camden Haven Public Working Group, Joan Lundstrom.

“This visionary project will place highly visible and distinctive sculptural artworks in the seven villages of the Camden Haven.

“Laurieton, Bonny Hills and Kendall will get sculptures in the first stage, followed by Dunbogan, North Haven, Kew and Comboyne.”

The Laurieton sculpture will be located near the edge of the Camden Haven River end of Seymour Street, below the Laurieton United Servicemen’s Club, a site which was used as a ship building yard in the early 1900s. The last ship built on the site was the Concord in 1923.

“An old photo of a ship built on this site inspired local artist, Max Scott,” Mrs Lundstrom said.

“Max is a wood carver, boat builder and bushman.

“The sculpture will be constructed of local hardwood timber, employing traditional ship building components and methods.

“These will be mounted on a concrete pier. The components will contain carvings and relieved images which will reflect the history and foundations of the local community and the ever present beauty of the Camden Haven estuarine system.”

Different local species of timber will be used in the construction and these will be identified by carved species names. Past flood levels will also be incorporated into the sculpture.

“Max Scott was born on the Mid North Coast into a family with strong traditions of fishermen and bushmen,” Mrs Lundstrom said.

“He inherited a love and a wealth of knowledge of the ocean and forests of the local area, which expresses itself in his artwork.

“He was introduced to and received tuition in traditional and European wood carving and sculpture at a very early age by local Camden Haven artists.”

He has successfully exhibited his artwork in Australia and overseas and was invited to participate in the Djiriydy 2000 Exhibition at Homebush Bay during the Olympic Games.

State Forests has assisted Mr Scott to source the right timber. Species to be used include tallowwood, blackbutt, blue gum and white mahogany which have been drawn from local regrowth forests.

Other sponsors for the Laurieton sculpture have been Allan Taylor and Associates, Mitre 10, Laurieton United Servicemen’s Club, Hastings Council, Australia Council and Camden Haven Chamber of Commerce.

The three sculptures will be part of a Hastings public art trail.

Media contact: Joan Lundstrom 6583 2743 or 0409 250 246.