Long-Necked Turtle

Bungendore, a small town not far east of Canberra, is home to the Wood Works Gallery, which we occasionally visit both to see what is currently on display and to enjoy the fare of the attached restaurant. We stopped there today, and this is one of the works by 30 designers and artists we saw in an exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of the opening of the gallery.

"Long-Necked Turtle" is a carving in White Cedar by Silvio Apponyi, who arrived in Australia in 1951 at the age of 18 months when his family migrated from Germany. He started carving in wood when he was only 2 and, after completing school in South Australia, he went on to study sculpture at North Adelaide School of Art.

Apponyi won a German Academic Exchange scholarship and studied for one year at the Munich Academy of Fine Art. On his return to Australia, and after completing his degree, he entered the monument trade and acquired his technical skills with all manner of stone. He embarked upon his career as a full-time sculptor in the late '80s and works from his studio in Adelaide. His artistic expression is quite diverse and includes Australian endangered species.

[We are back home in Batemans Bay after a busy family weekend in Canberra that included the Dedication of our latest grandchild, Charlotte. I'm sure you understand me briefly neglecting my commenting duties; I hope to do better from tomorrow.]