OTHER ACTIVITIES
FROM the MEN'S SHED COMMITTEE:
"The Greenbank RSL Sub-Branch Inc. Men’s Shed has turned out to be a huge
success
since its inception over four and half years ago. The health, well-being,
and safety of our members - who are mostly elderly and need company and social
interaction with others in the same boat - is paramount in our thoughts.
The year ahead promises to be one of continuing development in the shed with new
activities planned and aimed at those members who want to take part in something
other than our usual offerings. We are endeavoring to accomplish this with
demonstrations and courses on offer throughout the year. We welcome members'
input in suggesting new and interesting activities we may be able to introduce to the
shed and its members, and look forward to experimenting with new ideas and
projects as we venture further into the future life of the shed as a thriving
and beneficial service to the community.
It would be remiss of us, at this point, if we did not acknowledge the generous and
greatly-valued ongoing support of Greenbank RSL Sub Branch and its committee
and members. Without that support, we would not be in the strong position we enjoy."
GLASS-ETCHING
This is one of the more unusual activities to come to light in the past few years at
Greenbank RSL Sub-Branch Mens' Shed. You may not find many practitioners
of this art-form, partly due to the intricacy involved and a slightly higher-than-
average expense over more common forms of sketching or painting. But it's the very
rarity of such pieces and the detailed and intricate work which goes into each piece
that makes it so attractive to the beholder and the artist alike.
A pattern or picture is first copied onto a sheet of adhesive material, such as is
used to cover students' schoolbooks, then the sheet is stuck firmly and flatly to a
sheet of glass.
A special 'scalpel' is then used to cut out the lines comprising the design, and a
special imported acidic solution painted over the glass pane and left for about ten
minutes, which permanently etches the pattern into the glass.
PYROGRAPHY
This is the art of using an implement similar to a common soldering-iron, but fitted with a
heat-control so you can achieve light, shade, and interesting techniques in your work. It's an ancient craft,
probably going back to when humans first realised they could create pictures by pressing the red-hot tip
of a stick from the campfire against a piece of timber or leather.
Alan's work (above) shows the interesting and attractive effect to be achieved by combining pyrography
and painting. Some of our best artists in this field are also some of our oldest members - so it's not
a case of needing to be young enough to learn: we really never stop learning, as long
as we can think cogently
At the Mens' Shed, we have people who can work the most intricate designs into leather or
wood; we also have one or two who not only burn landscapes into panels of timber, but
colour them as well - usually with acrylic paints although, considering the 'Old Masters' often painted on
wooden panels due to the expense of purchasing and finishing canvas to prepare it for oils, such paint
could also work. You may have a technique of your own we can try...
