WITH a love of craftsmanship inherited from his father and grandfather, Mark Basden of Bullsbrook has always enjoyed working with his hands.
After creating bespoke frames for his wedding photos using wood offcuts Mr Basden discovered his passion for working with reclaimed timber.
Also Mr Basden’s FIFO role involves long hours driving trucks around the Pilbara and he finds woodworking allows him to relax and use his hands creatively to produce objects that are both beautiful and useful.
He loves the natural beauty of jarrah which, being a dense timber, makes it ideal for the type of useful hardwearing items he likes to craft.
As jarrah has been a commonly used hardwood in Western Australia for many decades, Mr Basden can access some beautiful recycled timbers for his work.
Now, completely self-taught, he works almost exclusively with reclaimed jarrah, giving new life to materials that might otherwise go to waste.
Specialising in handcrafted boards and bespoke pieces, he takes pride in allowing the natural beauty of the wood to shine, ensuring that every piece is as beautiful as it is functional.
Since making his wedding photo frames, he has made several items of furniture for his own home and some bespoke pieces for family members.
He now has the opportunity to display his work publicly as a guest artist at the Lesmurdie Arts and Crafts Group’s annual exhibition, which is being held in the Kalamunda Agricultural Hall, 48 Canning Road, from 10am to 4pm daily on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4.
Lesmurdie Arts and Crafts has been an established art group in Kalamunda since 1968.
The registered not-for-profit organisation holds annual exhibitions and one of its aims is to encourage young and emerging artists so each year they invite several guest artists to join them.
The group said they were delighted for Mr Basden to have the first public exhibition of his woodwork with them in May.
“Members have been impressed by the quality and functionality of his work and his enthusiasm for his craft,’’ they said.
