WOODWORKING is often seen as a man’s hobby, but Fran Whitehead believes more women and young people should give it a try.
Ms Whitehead is the secretary of the Wangaratta Woodworkers and enjoys learning different aspects of woodwork, including pyrography, which is the free-handed art form of decorating wood or other materials with burn marks.
“The only thing I do now is the pyrography, I have done the lace work, and I tried the scroll saw, but I wasn’t interested in that, so I’ve stuck to the wood burning,” she said.
“With the pyrography when I do start it, the time goes and it's relaxing and with the pen making, it brings a great satisfaction to make something that you can use.”
Wangaratta Woodworkers currently has around 50 members but is currently looking to attract more female and younger members, as numbers in those demographics are dwindling.
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“When my husband started scroll sawing we had a group that met on Wednesday nights, we had 12 and 14-year-olds coming along,” Ms Whitehead said.
“As they got older, they got busier in their social life and a lot of them bought their own machines and did it at home, we had about four scroll saw machines.”
Ms Whithead is encouraging more young people to join as it’s another hobby they can do aside from sport.
“Young people should join because it’s a great skill where you get to learn how to make things,” she said.
There are also many opportunities for women in the club according to Ms Whitehead.
“There's a chap who runs a box making workshop for women and he had about half a dozen come along and I think three stayed in the club,” she said.
“I think if they come and try they might enjoy it.”
Ms Whitehead also encourages people to join the club as its a great way to collaborate on projects with others.
“One of the women was making little boxes to put on the wall to hold her medallions and other people in the club helped her work out how to hang them and make them work,” she said.
Ms Whitehead said Wangaratta Woodworkers' 11th annual scroll saw weekend on May 4 and 5 was a great opportunity for people looking to get into the hobby to give it a try.
They will also be able to see expert scrollers from all across Australia display their skills on a scroll saw - a small electric or pedal-operated saw used to cut intricate curves in materials such as wood.
Those who come along will also have an opportunity to test their own woodworking skills.
The Wangaratta Woodworkers meet on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9am to 12pm, Sundays from 10am to 1pm and on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 5pm to 7pm at their shed on Evans Street.
Anyone is welcome to join the club by either showing up toto the meetings or contacting Ms Whitehead on 0419 214 198 or club president Bevan Tremellen 0437 196 118.
