Carver Terence Weatherill’s varied career has included logging, pipefitting, house-building and working on tugboats. He has always been actively involved in artistic communities wherever he has lived, including several areas of Alberta, Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast and, for the past four years, Powell River. Now retired, Weatherill devotes much of his time creating burl carvings.
How and when did you get into carving?
I originally started carving when I was a kid. I used to carve faces in pieces of cottonwood on the beach. Doing the burl carvings, I got into that in 1995 in Alberta. I started carving them out there and it has just continued.
What kind of wood do you carve and how do you work with it?
I get cedar burls and slice them, flatten them out and draw what I want to carve. I use red and yellow cedar, hemlock and occasionally alder, but it’s pretty hard carving that.
How do you come up with ideas for the carvings?
The grain tells me what to do. I try to include all the unique grain in it that I can. Some are sort of abstract and some are moons, suns, birds and trees. It’s just whatever comes to mind and trying to include all the best of the grain in the wood. I do business-card holders and faces, and I use oyster shells for their teeth. They’re all different.
What else are you involved in artistically?
I’ve always been into arts. I was with Gibson’s Driftwood Players for about 20 years. I play harmonica at local jams. Years ago back in the ’80s and early ’90s I was in a band in Roberts Creek. I’m not famous at it; I just enjoy doing it.
What are your plans for carvings this year?
My future plans include building a studio this year, so then I can be on the [Sunshine Coast] Art Crawl. I’d also like to participate in Arts Alive in the Park and [Powell River] Logger Sports this year.
Is there some place online where people can see your work?
No, there isn’t; I’m not on computers much. They can come in person and see it at Artique on Marine Avenue.
