"I’ve always loved helping everyone put things together and creating. When I was very young, I used to always ask my mum if I could paint with her while she was doing her art projects. I used to love doing Mister Maker arts and crafts projects, it was something I did weekly.
I suppose creating is something that runs in my blood. My mum is passionate about designing and creating, she worked in interior design. She’s been decorating rooms or helping others with it for a long time. My uncle works in his father’s family carpentry business, where they design all types of unique furniture. I’ve gotten to see the wood shop and I've watched their process of designing the furniture pieces. My great grandpa constructed mini villages and train models; my dad still has the train he made for him by hand, and although he doesn’t have the rails it used to run on, the craftmanship is amazing.
My first introduction to constructing something with tools while following a design was in Year 7 Woodwork, and the first time I got to build something I designed myself was in Year 9 Woodwork, where I crafted a bedside table.
In Year 11 Woodwork, the curriculum requires us to build a desk or a work bench. Originally, we were meant to build a work bench, however, the boys and myself decided we would get more use from a desk. My mum needed a table for home, so I asked her about what she required and designed it accordingly; she is going to use it to set up table arrangements for her business, Dress A Table.
Architecture and design have always been passions of mine. I love to see how people piece furniture or materials together to create something beautiful; I love how you can completely change the vibe of a room, venue or garden just by changing the furniture, colours and decor used in that space. There are infinite possibilities to what can be done and it's awesome to see how different people express themselves through the decoration of a space.
Heathdale has greatly helped me develop my skills, from learning how to use new machines and different tools, to learning which joint is the best to hold something together. I have been doing Woodwork class since Year 7 and I’ve kept all my projects. Projects become more complex every year, so it has been awesome to see the growth of my skills throughout all the work that I have done. I have definitely been able to use the skills I’ve learned in Woodwork class outside of school, whether putting furniture together or building something at home.
Woodwork class has been fun, it's allowed me to develop handy skills and every project as brought a great feeling of satisfaction. It’s a class where you get to interact with other students, help each other and learn while having fun creating."