Stuart Faulkner

Stuart's career in woodworking began in 1997 after graduating from the Sturt School for Wood. Up to that point he was a partner in a successful Sdyney design agency.

On graduating from Sturt, Stuart enthusiastically embraced his idea of the "artisan lifestyle". He joined the Splinter Workshop, made a workbench and began making commissions and furniture for exhibition with his revered hand tools. Stuart was saved from becoming a starving artist when he was invited by Wood School Director, Tom Harrington, to develop and teach courses for Sturt's new short course program. Some of the courses he developed were Tuning and Sharpening, Make a Workbench and the Dovetail Tool Caddy.

In 2010 Stuart returned to Sturt to follow in Tom's footsteps to become the Full-time Director of the Wood School. Along the way he gained a number of professional teaching qualifications and was Head Teacher of Furniture and Product Design at Lidcombe TAFE. During that time he had the privilege of teaching and mentoring many promising furniture and product design students as well as working with some truly inspiring teachers.

Returning to Sydney in 2013, Stuart started teaching recreational woodworking classes under the banner Sydney School for Wood. At some point a colleague remarked that a business name should "reflect your values, communicate who you are and what you stand for". After some head scratching and research, Sydney School for Wood emerged as Heartwood Creative Woodworking.

In addition to teaching, Stuart continues to design and make new work for exhibition.

When Stuart is not in the workshop he is: sitting in a cafe making "to do lists", reading woodworking books, watching woodworking videos, designing woodworking courses, thinking about having a day off so he can read more woodworking books!

Qualifications

2013 TAE40110 Certificate IV Workplace Training and Assessment
2008 TAA40104 Certificate IV Workplace Training and Assessment
2007 Bachelor of Vocational Education and Training
2002 Certificate III General Construction Carpentry - Housing
1997 Certificate IV in Fine Woodworking - Sturt School for Wood

Awards

2010 Winner "The Green Design" Sydney International Furniture Fair

Professional Memberships

Member of Woodworkers' Association of NSW
Accredited Member Studio Woodworkers Association

Carol Faulkner

Carol is lead instructor on the Spoon Carving Basics course, and technical support on the table making course. She is also the Heartwood Creative Woodworking course co-ordinator.

Carol’s professional background is in accounting but she also studied Jewellery & Object Design at Enmore TAFE and was the scholarship recipient in 2008.

In 2010 Carol was the overall winner of the Design Institute of Australia’s Australasian Student Design Award and also winner in the fashion category.

Carol was Treasurer for Studio Woodworkers Australia for a number of years and is a member of Woodworkers’ Association NSW.

When Carol is not in the workshop she is: designing her “ideal vacuum cleaner”, cutting spoon blanks, sanding something or expanding her interest in finishing techniques. Sometimes she thumbs through a woodworking book!