Laurel Dahill moved to the qathet region in May and says she's impressed with the local arts scene.
Dahill was at the Present group exhibition opening at qathet Art Centre on December 6, as an admirer of the arts and as a contributor to the show. Dahill used traditional hand-tool woodworking to make her piece called Tea Box, which is both a beautiful object to look at and a practical piece of houseware.
"I started out as a designer for theatre and film, so I have a background in building things," said Dahill. "I also like tea and I wanted to have the wood sort of speaking for itself."
Her piece in the group art show has four drawers on the left side, where she said tea or other objects used for making tea can be put inside. Then, on the right side, sits a ceramic tea cup, enclosed inside square wooden slats.
"I love the craft of joinery," said Dahill. "Working in the film industry we usually build stuff that maybe lasts two weeks; I wanted to start building things that last."
Dahill said it was when she was asked to build a small urn for a friend who died during the COVID-19 pandemic that she found a creative spark to build artistically by hand.
"Woodworking by hand is more environmentally sustainable; you don't have to rely on power," said Dahill. "This piece [Tea Box] is pretty basic; there is the geometry of a joint which makes it strong."
She said she has a one-car garage where she does all her building.
"I build furniture as well," said Dahill. "I want people to interact with it [her work]; I want people to come up and touch it and feel it, because there's a relationship you feel with the wood/art."
Dahill also happens to be a reverend at St. David and St. Paul Anglican Church in Townsite.
"I’ve served four parishes in three dioceses in two countries, and this is the best one by far," said Dahill.
Dahill walked with her parish as a representative at the first Pride parade to be organized in the qathet region this past July.
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