Guest Artist: Jono GardyneHi, I'm Jono Gardyne. My family and I run a mixed farming operation on the outskirts of Waikaka, which includes sheep, cattle, dairy support and cereal crops. I have always been interested in engineering, beginning with my Lego set when I was younger and I have an eye for visualising concepts from materials.
My passion for metalwork grew as I realised I could create useful tools and implements for use within our business. Metal also required less finishing and upkeep for equipment, structures and art. We regularly replace worn parts of machinery on the farm and I enjoy recycling pieces as opposed to filling the scrap steel bin. So, after a visit to the Waikaka Arts and Crafts one year, I saw some small pieces which were created from workshop odds and ends and was inspired to create rustic garden art. It is great to see the full life cycle of the parts. From new in the box, onto machinery, off in the workshop and finally turned into art. I'm still keeping my day job, but enjoy the process of building something new from something old, making square parts appear round and using your imagination to make a pile of parts look like an animal. I believe there are many more people out there like me who might use different materials, but enjoy tinkering and I would encourage them to give it a go to create something. Art can be almost anything, its just a matter of getting started. |