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THE P RO PE R TY INSI G HTS SITE
Tuesday 16 January 2018
5973 6424 or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
Turning logs into art WOMEN and chainsaws are not usually mentioned in the same sentence – except when the woman is chainsaw artist Angie Polglaze (left). The Hastings resident carves timber into eyecatching shapes and has won more awards than any other female carver in the world. Her skills have earned her a Service to the Arts Award from the United Chainsaw Carvers Guild in 2011 for her “encouragement and inspiration to women carvers everywhere”. Their challenge is to carve sculptures from a single piece of wood. This year’s theme is The Garden. “Chainsaw carving is mindboggling,” said Ms Polglaze, who draws her inspiration “from life” and learned her craft mainly from watching fellow competitors. The arts honours graduate’s 22 years as a wood carver included a decade “living out of a suitcase” while travelling the world. Times have changed: “Five years ago I got a house and a mortgage, two dogs and a cat, and decided not to travel so much. I’ve got critters who count on me.” Ms Polglaze loves giving renewed life to cypress pine which is her favoured material as it “doesn’t split, holds together and paints well”. “I find the events exciting. Coming from an arty background I use a lot of colour – that’s my trademark.” This week Ms Polglaze competes in the annual Australian Chainsaw Carving Competition at the SkyHigh Observatory, Mt Dandenong, 16-21 January. Her nine opponents include Canadian Marina Cole and men from the US and Japan. Stephen Taylor
Picture: Yanni
Wildlife shelter needs a home Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au THE future is bleak for injured and displaced wildlife on the Mornington Peninsula, with Crystal Ocean Wildlife Shelter carer Brenda Marmion being forced to find a new home. The dedicated carer, who has been looking after distressed wildlife for
the past 30 years, was recently asked to vacate her Golf Parade, Rye, rental property by April. This gives her four months to find a suitable base “somewhere on the peninsula” that will allow her to temporarily house and rehabilitate wildlife. She said she had good references. Ms Marmion, 74, said she was beginning to feel the pressure of finding a larger property at a reasonable rent
that would provide suitable accommodation for her injured and ill charges. “I suppose not everyone would like me living in their house but I always do improvements and always pay my rent on time,” she said. “Of cours, I would love acreage but it’s not often you would find a cottage on acreage for rent. I really just need some place with a big garden.” Presented with a Good Neighbour
Award last year and nominated for Australian of the Year in 2016, Ms Marmion said it was “always hell moving house”. “We will need a convoy when the time comes,” she said. “We needed a convoy when we moved here from Dromana four years ago and we probably have more items, such as aviaries, to move this time.” Friend and supporter Roslyn Brown-
ing said the next closest shelter to Crystal Ocean was at Tyabb. “At any one time the shelter can have around 30 animals to rehabilitate. [Caring for them is a] huge task for Brenda who is living on the aged pension, paying rent and who is in poor health. She is absolutely dedicated to looking after injured wildlife and is very well regarded by rescuers and vets on the southern peninsula. Continued Page 8
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