I first saw Ian Bell’s work at Bungendore Wood Works just outside of the ACT. When you walk among hundreds of pieces made by the best woodcrafters in Australia, it takes something special to really grab your attention, but I was immediately drawn to Ian’s work. One of the first pieces I saw was a stunning whale tail, partly clear wood and partly painted black with tiny divots cut through the paint to reveal dotted peep-views of the wood beneath. The whale’s tail shape was beautiful in its own right, but the contrast of massed tiny cuts gave it an energy that it would not otherwise have. It is compelling and truly unique work, and that is something we don’t often see. Since then I have seen Ian’s whale tails evolve to charm me even more.
In July last year I visited Ian at his home near Wollongong. He is a
