How I tortured a baby Huon Pine for Art - My Core Studies "Form" assignment

Huon pine sapling planted in a pot made from layers of Tasmanian native timber sawdust encased in clear resin.

Rationale for the work/  Artists Statement (the required Artwank)

I chose sawdust as the material I wished to work with. The work started with the question, “Can I reconstruct a tree from sawdust?” This question was provoked by uncertainties surrounding supply of native Tasmanian timber for use by furniture designers and artists working with wood. This in turn was informed by the internal philosophical conflicts I am currently experiencing now I have discovered the beauty of this beautiful resource in its harvested form. Philosophically and morally I object to clear felling old growth native timber, yet I am benefiting from this practice by having access to these beautiful timbers for woodturning and furniture design/ making. I’m a card carrying Green, so how do I resolve these issues. Can I resolve them through an attempt at making the most of every scrap of wood I use, minimising waste and perhaps relieving my conscience?

This poor Huon sapling is witness to the disembowelling of a family member as it is turned into a delightful artistic bowl.

Reflection

Originally I thought this would be an easy process. All I had to do was gather some sawdust, mix it with something, roll it out and let it dry. I wanted to make my own chipboard but chipboard that could retain the grain (tree rings) and be formed into a turnable (on wood lathe) chunk of wood. After failing at my attempt to use a paper mache recipe, I tried to literally create my own chipboard. This process also failed. Then I resorted to embedding sawdust within a clear casting resin mould. This mould is in the form of a pot for nurturing a tree seedling.

Did I resolve the question? Can I turn sawdust back into a tree or at least usable timber? Did I process the guilt issues of using native forest timbers? Is my conscience relieved?

Personally I don’t have access to the manufacturing processes required to produce my own chipboard from my sawdust waste. However as an industry we do. I may not be able to recreate a tree but I can use this precious material wisely and I can lobby for more sustainable methods of forestry. It was a long journey to get to the end design. To create the finished idea of planting a seedling of Huon, or Myrtle or Sassafras in a pot made from the waste material of their parents.

It’s only by allowing the forests to recover from the timber that we need to remove, that the seedlings of the future will grow. If we make the most of the timber we have, use it wisely and reduce our waste there is a chance we can continue to enjoy this precious resource. My artwork is a small step towards nurturing a future for these magnificent timbers. 

Distressed timber. Huon sapling amongst Huon sawdust.

Fun facts about the Huon Pine


Did you know that the Huon Pine (Lagarostrobos Franklinii) isn't actually a pine (Pinaceae) but a Podocarp? It doesn't actually have 'needles' but instead has very small, closely overlapping leaves that are pressed close against its branchlets. Huon Pines are a rainforest plant and have been around for over 135 million years. They are a relic from when Australia was part of Gondwana Land. They grow very slowly, between 1.5 - 2m every 10 years. This makes them ideal for use in bonsai. Huon pines are either male or female not hermaphrodites like most modern plants. They need to live close to water in swampy areas and beside rivers. Their timber is a beautiful yellow colour, smells lovely and is resistant to rotting. They can live for over 3,000 years as an individual tree but in stands (clusters of genetically identical trees shooting off a main root system) they live much longer than that. There is a stand of Huon Pine in a secret area of the Tasmanian wilderness that is believed to be over 10,000 years old. Huon Pines are now protected from felling, however for now timber can still be sourced from old logs on the forest floor, in rivers, old stockpiles and from recycled sources.