By Brendan Rees
Kevin Sparrow may be a newcomer to the craft of woodworking but his talent has already begun to shine.
The retiree’s latest creation of wooden toys earned him a $1,000 first prize at a recent Victoria wide art show.
Held on Wednesday 28 August at the Melbourne Pavilion, the inaugural Simpson Arts Prize was open to the public, showcasing the skills of Lifestyle Communities’ homeowners.
Kevin was the winner of the woodwork category for his impressive work titled ‘Wooden Toys: Western Wagon and 1929 Model T Ford’.
“I was quite chuffed,” Kevin said, explaining he had only joined the woodworking group at Lifestyle Casey Fields in Cranbourne East about three years ago.
He said Ford cars were not so much a passion but something which have him inspiration to build a small car “just to test my skills.”
“When they mentioned the craft competition I thought ‘well the next best thing to do is to make a larger version of it with a bit more detail.’ Everyone loved it.
“Some of it was a bit fiddly especially the wheel arches on the truck,” he said.
“I’ve always been a do-it-yourselfer anyway.”
The former purchasing officer, who “used to buy anything from cars to pencils,” says he was honoured to also meet the Channel Nine personality Livinia Nixon, who was a judge on the day.
The show also showcased creative talents including fine art, photography, woodwork, ceramics, needlework, paper craft, sculpture, quilting and videography.
Asked what he intends to do with his winning pieces, he laughs: “I’ve got too many grand kids; if I give it to one the rest of them will complain.”
He said the woodworking shed was great as toys were often donated to charity.
