Hobart oil on canvas 1240mm x 1085mm
Tools of the Trade
15 May — 9 June 2021
For years, Waiarapa based painter Stephen Allwood has drawn inspiration from the day-to-day events of his semi-rural lifestyle. Recently, he and his partner, Chef Jo Crabb, acquired a bakery in Martinborough, and it’s this venture that’s prompted this new body of work. In Tools of the Trade, Allwood celebrates the solid, industrial equipment he works with every day: mixers, slicers and beaters. The retro-futuristic machines, with gleaming surfaces and sensuous curves, are set against rough wooden shelves where they speak of trade and the tools and skills that are passed down from one generation to the next.
The artist comments, ‘We have a love/hate relationship with the objects we use every day. Our tools have personalities: some are old and strong, some are quick and sharp, some of them are dangerous and most of them have the potential to harm us. We get frustrated with them when they don’t work - even if the cause is usually our failing not theirs. There is an old saying about a poor craftsman blaming his tools…’
Knives oil on canvas 1115mm x 1115mm
SOLD - Swift Whip 2021 oil on canvas 1240mm x 845mm
Rocket oil on canvas 1240 x 1085mm
Slicer oil on canvas 1240 x 1085mm
Kenwood oil on canvas 1240 x 935mm
Images of the opening and installation can be found here. Available works are listed on the Artist’s page here. If you would like further information, please contact us.