Adam Crosland

Sunday Short Course and Secondary School Woodwork Teacher

“As the son of a cabinet maker, I have been lucky to experience the joy of working with tools and timber my whole life. I loved making things, and the rest was just a matter of glue, screws and timber, nothing much has changed. I was always artistic, but not always technically brilliant.”

In 1990 I was accepted into Sydney College of the Arts and went on to graduate from Sculpture, Performance & Installation in 1994. In Balmain I mainly worked with wood, against all “creative advice” to branch out. Adam’s graduating pieces were two chaise longue chairs. Any timber he could find at the workshop ended up as something like a toy, a skateboard, or a piece of Wood Art.

Producing simple pieces of furniture, art and teaching are my favourite way of spending time in the workshop, or as creatively and wisely as possible. All the individual pieces of Wood Art are dressed off cuts from Richards classes, from Beech to Blackbutt. Some of these pieces are hanging in Woodwork Galleries in Darling Harbour, Hunter Valley and the Rocks. And with timber becoming a much more precious resource than ever before, I try not to waste my time or money. I have always believed that timber needs to be appreciated for what it is, not just for what it can do for you.

I have been interested in design ever since I was a boy, and I recall making myself a Go Kart that was going to out run anything else off the street. However, later that year I was out done by my father Richard Crosland, although mine had a faster top speed. I have worked on kitchens, bathrooms and the odd coffee table but when I get the time, it’s usually for a class or a commisioned piece of WoodArt. Working full time as a Design and Technology teacher at Tempe High School, and teaching the Short Course on Sundays, it’s hard to find time to spend the endless hours in the workshop we all desire.

   My dream is to produce simple commissioned pieces, Wood Art by the square metre, and teaching at the School of Fine Woodwork. We are working on a series of DVD’s available on this website that will hopefully educate not only high school students, but all woodworking enthusiasts around Australia and possibly the world.

WoodArt No.1 $500 Still available from Darling Harbour's Australian Woodwork Gallery and WoodArt No.7 is now on sale for approximately $350.00.

WoodArt No.3 is also available for $2000 hanging at Hunter Valley's Woodwork Gallery.