The artistry and craftsmanship of local woodworkers are taking centre stage this month at TOLO – The Old Library Ōmokoroa, where some members of the Tauranga Woodcrafters Guild are holding a public exhibition of their work.

The exhibition, which opened November 4 and runs until November 29, features more than 60 handcrafted pieces made by guild members Phil Hansen, Ron Gubb, Garry Webber, Greg Taylor, Mike Buck, Mike McCarthy, Geoff Brann, Lawson Worsnop and Nadie de Kremer.

Visitors can explore a wide range of creations – from finely turned bowls and platters to carved sculptures, Christmas decorations, and ornamental instruments – all beautifully crafted from native and exotic woods.

“It’s in the old library at Ōmokoroa,” exhibitor Greg Taylor said. “The building was going to be pulled down, but a few locals got together and said, ‘We can keep this going as an exhibition centre’. Now it’s booked out every month.”

The space, now known as TOLO, sits at 7 Kowai Grove, near the intersection of McDonnell St and Hamurana Rd, close to Oswalds Café. Easily spotted by its ‘Art for Sale’ sign, the gallery is open 10am-4pm daily and run by volunteers.

Celebrating craftsmanship 

According to Taylor, the exhibition serves two main purposes: to showcase the high standard of craftsmanship within the Tauranga Woodcrafters Guild, and to offer visitors a chance to purchase unique, handmade art pieces.

“We’ve got a lot of talented people producing outstanding wood turning – and items are for sale, so people can take home a piece of that craftsmanship.”

A tall wooden segmented vase on display with wooden bowls in the Tauranga Woodcrafters Guild exhibition at TOLO in Ōmokoroa. Photo / David Hall

Among the standout exhibits is a walking stick featuring a snake climbing up the shaft, meticulously carved by Phil Hansen and entered in a national competition. Former Western Bay of Plenty mayor Garry Webber has crafted a delicate ornamental violin, while other pieces include fruit bowls filled with carved wooden fruit, intricate boxes, toys, and breadboards.

The range of materials is just as varied, with items made from kauri, swamp kauri, walnut, beech, copper beech and other wood. One guild member specialises in segmented woodturning – a complex process that involves gluing together multiple pieces of wood in different colours and patterns before turning them on a lathe to create intricate geometric designs.

“He cuts all the little bits up, glues them together and then turns them,” Taylor said.

Award-winning work 

Taylor himself has a piece on display that was featured in ‘Creative Wood’, the quarterly magazine of the National Association of Woodworkers (NAW), after winning a national award. Other exhibits have also earned recognition through The Art of Wood competition run by NAW, showcasing the high calibre of craftsmanship coming out of the Tauranga guild.

One of the many items on display at the Tauranga Woodcrafters Guild exhibition at TOLO in Ōmokoroa, which runs until November 29. Photo / David Hall

A community hub

The Old Library’s transformation into TOLO has given Ōmokoroa a vibrant new community hub. The venue operates as a cooperative, supported by several local groups including the Ōmokoroa Public Art Group, Ōmokoroa History Group, Ōmokoroa Artists Group, and Ōmokoroa Environmental Managers Inc., which also link to Pest-free Ōmokoroa, Ōmokoroa Bird Group, and the Ōmokoroa ANZAC Group.

Recently, the gallery hosted the Birds of a Feather exhibition, and each month a new group of artists or artisans fills the space with fresh work.

About the guild 

The Tauranga Woodcrafters Guild was established in 1987 and owns, operates, and maintains a fully equipped hobbyists’ workshop at 3 Cherokee Place, Mount Maunganui. The guild has about 80-90 members, ranging from beginners to seasoned craftspeople. About 65% are retirees and 20% are women, all sharing a passion for working with wood.

Members meet almost daily for different interest groups, covering carving, turning, scroll-saw work, furniture making, and toy construction. The guild’s mission is to encourage creativity, share skills, and promote the joy of craftsmanship within the wider community.

For more information about the Tauranga Woodcrafters Guild, visit: taurangawoodcrafters.org.

To contact the TOLO gallery, email: theoldlibraryomokoroa@gmail.com.