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Local Artist’S Baton To Feature In RelayLocal artist, Ian Smith, created the baton to be used in Bass Coast Shire Council’s Bass Coast Baton Relay on Sunday 20 November. By Bass Coast Shire - 14th November 2005 - Back to News Made from three types of local wood and incorporating a stained glass window and hidden compartment, Ian has created a baton that will be admired by generations.
Ian revealed that despite the fact he is allergic to most types of wood, he has been carving and turning timber for 10 years.
"I had been a painter for many years and my son gave my wife, Mary, a wood turner in the hope she might find it an enjoyable hobby.
"I haven’t touched a paintbrush since," said Ian, with a wry smile.
Ian has never attempted a project like the design and creation of the baton before and he said he found it an intriguing one.
"The baton had to be able to be carried by people on tractors, horses, bikes and in wheelchairs, not just by athletes.
"Luckily there wasn’t going to be any underwater swimming," Ian joked.
Ian made several prototypes before being happy with the final design. In fact, Ian admitted that he stopped counting after 100 hours of work had gone into it, and that was before he started on the final piece.
"I considered a number of different elements including how it would look, a space for a hidden message, the different types of timber, the size and weight, how it might be waterproof, how it could be carried without using hands, a stained glass window and the possibility of a light.
"I thought the weight might be a worry, but once I hollowed out a space for the ‘secret’ message it was fine.
"To fix the problem of carrying the baton on something like a bike, I attached a sash. This started off to be decorative, but I ended up going with something more down-to-earth, that was adjustable and with better strength," Ian explained.
"The types of timber to use was a hard choice. Tea Tree is common in the area, but was too heavy. Because the theme for the Relay is ‘From the Coast to the Hills’, I decided on Coastal Banksia for the coast, Cypress because it’s the most common wind break used on farms, and Blackwood for the hills.
"And then there was the decision on what to house the baton in. I used the boxes that the old coal miners used for their detonators and explosives. The pioneers actually used these boxes to line the inside of their houses," he informed.
"Its bed ended up being the shape of a coffin," Ian mused, "It wasn’t meant to be, it was just the shape that fitted around the baton."
Ever so humble and passionate about his work, Ian injects a humanistic ingredient into the event that you can’t help but be drawn in by. It is only fitting then that the ‘secret’ message hidden inside Ian’s baton is one by the Governor of Victoria, John Landy, A.C., M.B.E. This will be an event not to miss!
For more information on Bass Coast Shire Council’s Bass Coast Baton Relay visit www.basscoast.vic.gov.au or contact Jenny Churchill on (03) 5671 2211 or (03) 5951 3311.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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