Dick said:
“I’m really looking forward to the Woodfuel Fair at Fineshade Wood. I love talking with people who are interested in what I do and maybe even encouraging them to take up working with wood themselves. I’m invited to exhibit at a lot of international events, which is exciting, but it’s always great to do something locally, as I feel it’s important to give something back to the community.

“When I’m not attending international carving festivals, I’m often found at my carving workshop at Irchester Country Park, where I’m currently working on various sculptures for the entrance area of the new café at the park. These will include a life-sized figure of a quarryman, which will be accompanied by ‘Albert’, a tawny owl and a total of eight totem poles, depicting fruit, vegetables, animals and insects to make the area really attractive.” Dick is the founder of ‘Spirits of Wood’, a company which produces a wide variety of bespoke wooden products, from hand-crafted furniture, to totem poles and living willow sculptures. Since leaving full-time work as a tree surgeon seven years ago to concentrate on his business, Dick has been involved in a number of large scale projects across the UK.

Recently Dick has been commissioned to create 23 ‘storytelling chairs’ for schools across Corby, to encourage children and young people to read, write and compose poetry and short stories. Dick will be working on some of these special seats when he exhibits at the Woodfuel Fair in March.

Sarah Walker, Visitor and Communities Services Manager at Top Lodge, Fineshade Wood, said:
“We’re really excited that Dick is exhibiting at the Woodfuel Fair. His work has received worldwide acclaim and he’s regularly jetting off to international carving events, so it will be a rare chance for members of the public to see him in action locally.”

For more information about Dick’s work, please visit his website at www.spiritsofwood.com. The Woodfuel Fair will take place at Top Lodge, Fineshade Wood on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st March, from 10am until 3.30pm. The event is free of charge and normal parking fees will not apply. For more information about the Woodfuel Fair, please go to www.forestry.gov.uk/woodfuelfair

Source: Forestry Commission