Shane Wiechnik

I am a restorer/repairer/conservator of furniture and related objects. I’ve also been teaching woodworking and repair classes in Australia for over 10 years. I’ve taught to a range of audiences from fine woodworking schools to community environmental programs.I got started repairing furniture off the side of the road in Sydney to keep it out of landfill, but since then I have travelled the world to work and train. I've studied conservation professionally at West Dean College in Southern England, but I've also attended craft and conservation training courses in Norway, Japan, and here in Australia. I've worked on heritage projects with different professionals in the United States, the UK, and Europe.As a professional restorer/conservator who’s seen up close such a broad range of pieces, I’ve had the opportunity to learn and witness the breadth of craft skills that create so many of these wonderful pieces. Over and over I hear that these crafts are dying. At the same time, I hear that people wish they had the opportunity to learn those skills.Not only do I love teaching what I know, but I believe that sharing an understanding of materials and crafts is an important part of preserving and conserving crafted objects and their cultures. It’s an important part of understanding the world we live in. So in my own conservation practice, I have made sure to provide a space where we can learn and share skills together!The Brunswick St House of Craft is that dedicated teaching space.It's a dedicated teaching and learning space for sharing craft knowledge and skills. It's somewhere people can go to learn and practice crafts, but also learn about the materials and objects that make up the world we live in.We are just getting set up now, but in the coming year we will run courses in a wide range of crafts, as well as host repair cafes, community conservation events, and whatever else we can. And we are always looking for great teachers and craftspeople who need somewhere to share their skills, so if you have a craft to share and need a space, please get in touch.