Garry oak trees are known for their longevity but don含羞草研究社檛 last forever, particularly in an urban setting.
A roughly 250-year-old tree from the Jubilee neighbourhood, for example, lives on in a series of vases crafted by Victoria wood turner Peter Hackett.
While not old for its species, the tree suffered root rot. Now wood vases serve as mementos in the home on the land where the tree originally towered, several sold quickly and the remainder are on display in an Oak Bay gallery.
People often find him through his website wanting to commemorate a tree that they lived with for decades. The sapling is almost like family, a fixture for folks, and at the end of the veteran tree含羞草研究社檚 life, people seek a memento.
含羞草研究社淭hey want to see it continue and see that relationship continue,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淭his big thing that含羞草研究社檚 been there for hundreds of years is going to persist. That含羞草研究社檚 the reward for me.含羞草研究社�
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For this particular tree, he found himself with several six-inch slices three or four feet in diameter 含羞草研究社� tough to turn into a bowl.
So he envisioned the lovely 13-inch tall vases, with an unusual oval created by working with the wood wet. While he did need to invest in a little bit of equipment it turned out to be worth it, losing very few to cracking as they dried.
There含羞草研究社檚 no shortage of wood, between those looking to make use of trees that must come down, landscaper finds and driftwood.
含羞草研究社淭he wood finds me now. It含羞草研究社檚 not an issue in Victoria and every kind of wood is available.含羞草研究社�
He once turned a piece of red cedar driftwood he aged at 270 to 300 years by counting the growth rings. It struck him that it was only 10 inches across with that many rings.
含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 a story there I don含羞草研究社檛 know,含羞草研究社� Hacket said. 含羞草研究社淚t makes you wonder about the stories.含羞草研究社�
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With his many scraps, Hackett makes 含羞草研究社渙ne tree a day含羞草研究社� in a nod to his awareness of climate change. He含羞草研究社檚 made 250 so far and they含羞草研究社檙e popular with both the neighbourhood and the occasional home design expert (one on the Lower Mainland has ordered several).
The vases wound up in The Avenue Gallery after he was discovered during the Fernwood Art Stroll. It took Hackett some time to find the tree and story he found worthy of gallery display.
It was a creative task that含羞草研究社檚 part of the reason he shifted into wood art in the first place 含羞草研究社� after a career as a scientist and research manager.
含羞草研究社淚 wanted to do something using the other side of my brain,含羞草研究社� he said.
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It took a year of stewing, but he settled on wood carving, which didn含羞草研究社檛 shift into the turning until they moved to Victoria a couple of years later.
One day about five years ago, Hackett told a friend he was interested in wood turning. That friend walked him over to another house in the neighbourhood where a new acquaintance fuelled his addictive new hobby.
He embarked on the 含羞草研究社渦niversity of YouTube含羞草研究社� the next day.
Learn more about the artist at .
