HANDMADE
ROCKING HORSES
GET TO KNOW ME
I grew up on a farm on Australia’s Mornington Peninsula. It was the perfect environment to develop a love for natural materials, such as wood and leather, and to appreciate the beauty of the countryside.
A love of working with timber led me to I study Furniture Design and Construction at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, for one year before being accepted into the competitive Prop Making course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney. During this three-year specialised degree, I worked with wood, leather, foam-sculpting, model- and mould-making and puppet making.
ROCKING HORSES
CLASSES
Learn to hand carve your own timber rocking horse!
Over the course of 4 days you will learn to use traditional tools and techniques to hand carve your own rocking horse. Whilst being a simplified version of an heirloom rocking horse, your rocking horse will still use all of the same joinery and constructions techniques used in all of my rocking horses. Classes are suitable for beginners, whilst still have room for experienced students to carve a more detailed rocking horse.
LATEST NEWS
The votes are in - thank you to so many people across Facebook and Instagram who helped me decide if I should paint the tip of this fox’s tail or not. Team YES was in the majority, whilst team NO were very passionate 😂
I hope you like the subtle touch of paint, I sure do!
‘Faster Fox’ wall hanging is currently available at @meeniyanartgallery
#meeniyan #meeniyanartgallery #mag #fox #woodcarving #woodenfox #oliviaoconnorcarving #woodenart #woodart #woodartist
Oh glad you added a little white to the tail 🙂
Now it looks like a foxy. Fox ❤️🙏🌹
It's perfect <3
Love it!
Perfect
Help! Should I paint the tip of this fox’s tail with a splash of white?
I can’t decide!
🦊 🧡 🦊 🧡 🦊
#help #question #helpneeded #woodcarving #fox #oliviaoconnorcarving #woodcarver #christmasgift #meeniyanartgallery
I love the understated natural look.
If not, you could add some distinct carved lines to show the tip is different, like a fox tail.
No, it goes against the natural look of the wood.
Where can I buy one ! My son is crazy about foxes and would love this
Yes, tiny flick
Scroll detail, carved by me in American Walnut…I’d really like to carve more of these!
That is gorgeous, looks so flexible. ❤️
Amazing work 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
That’s incredible!!
Beautiful flow Olivia!
Beautiful
Charky the Cat.
Commissioned by my client as a loving reminder of a much loved friend 💕
She has been carved with the end goal of my client painting her and it was great fun to factor in a painted finish to something with so much texture.
#cat #woodcarving #catsofinstagram #catsofaustralia #tribute #inlovingmemory #pets #madeingippsland
wow, nice kitty
Wonderful
Today is the third day without power in my workshop due to storm damage - thank goodness carving and guilding (gold leafing) doesn’t require any electricity - just brain and hand power 💪☀️
To those of you affected in Victoria, I send you good luck and hope the damage isn’t too bad for you.
#indy #horse #power #storm #nopower #woodcarving #woodcarver #gippsland
Maybe you should have stayed in M/N as we are all OK!!!
Paul, the Peachy Palomino Pony is off to enjoy life in sunny Queensland ☀️🐎☀️
#rockinghorse #woodcarving #oliviaoconnorcarving #pony #palomino #queensland
Absolutely beautiful
Emily Closter
Samara Hinton Do you think Eleanor would like one? 😍😍
Gorgeous.
Very handsome.
Another fun video for Carbatec where I show you a new tool and a fun Christmas gift idea!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUY3qshWoHg&t=288s
They have some good toys Olivia😎
This sweet girl went on a truck all the way to Sydney last week. She stood, completed, in my workshop for about 6 weeks before she left (normally I only have my horses for a week before they go to their homes). I miss her a little bit 💕💕
#rockinghorse #horse #palomino #woodcarving #woodcarver #mare #sandy #honey #missyou #sydney #madeingippsland
She is beautiful Olivia🌈
Wow.. she is beautiful.
She is gorgeous Olivia
She’s beautiful 😍
Absolutely beautiful beautiful
Failing terribly at trying to take cute picture of cute dogs in the workshop.
#fail #dogsofinstagram #apprentice #manager #blueheeler #redheeler
Carving fun with the @flexcut_tools flexible drawknife on the @carbatec YouTube channel this Saturday!
11th Sep, 10.30am Melbourne time!
#woodcarving #flexcut #flexcuttools #drawknife
Good to see you!
Took a break from sanding and painting rocking horses to play with my wombat woodblock. He looks so at home on this fence post in the sun, will I ever be able to convince him to make more prints?
Hope the sun is shining wherever you are today!
☀️☀️☀️
#wombat #woodblock #sunny #sunsoutwombatsout #woodblock #print #carving
He is beautiful, do you have pictures of the prints he makes
So beautiful, oh I love him! 🖤
Gorgeous cheeky little guy
He is so cute Olivia
Love him/her!.
Happy Sunny Sunday! ☀️☀️☀️
It’s time to carve back these leg plates and have this little pony start to look like a bit more like a fat little pony 💕
#rockinghorse #sunny #sunday #woodwork #woodcarving #workinprogress #workinghorse #pony #fatpony #handmade #goingtoqueensland
Yoga pose or just awfully uncomfortable?
I don’t know what it’s like to carve alone…or without tripping over dogs 😂😂🐕🐾
#woodcarving #bestfriends #dogsofinstagram #goodboy #terry
I’d take that as a positive!
Make a bird whistle with me!
It’s fun, quick and easy!
Link to the video is in the comments 🦜 💕🐥
I finished and delivered this Dapple Grey Mare to her new home last week 🥰🥰🥰
#rockinghorse #woodcarving #horse #woodentoys #woodenhorse #childhood #heirloom #grey #dapplegrey #oliviaoconnorcarving
I have an unsaddled rocking horse, wondering if you could help me out with where to purchase a saddle and bridle?
How much for a horse like this please
Hermoso
Lovely work Olivia.
Gorgeous
Send summer vibes - and maybe a pair of eyes. It’s a little bit chilly today in the studio as I’m finishing off this little lady. ☀️🐎☀️🐎☀️
#rockinghorse #woodcarver #woodcarving #horse #mare #dapplegrey #chilly #summervibes
Can only imagine. No doubt rain isn’t far away from you guys. My sister tells me there’s lots of water laying about.
She’s smiling 🥰
It looks young .
Hello Everyone!
Here is a link to a WOODBLOCK CARVING AND PRINTING video I have made. I’d really appreciate it if you had a little watch and even better if you try one yourself!
Good luck, let me know if you have any questions and please tag me in your carving/printing creations - I’d love to see what you do!
Cheerio,
Olivia.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=XTO71QapvXQ&t=64s
A sample of what we made!
Haven’t done a woodblock since TAFE. Loved it.
Love you work and your Rocking Horses. Fantastic video, it's brilliant. www.facebook.com/groups/995786943962653
This Saturday (June 12th) I’ll be demonstrating woodblock carving and printing from my workshop straight to your computer! It’s live so you can even ask questions in real time!
It’s via the @carbatec YouTube channel at 10.30am (Melbourne time) and will be fun 🥳
#woodcarving #woodblock #woodblockprinting #printmaking #woodcarver #carbatec #oliviaoconnorcarving
Protea and friends carving in progress.
Should I paint it?
#woodcarving #nativeflowers #woodcarver #art #artwork #hangingsculpture
Looks awesome! Hard to say, I think you’d make it look awesome either way!!
Wonderful Olivia, I would not paint it but perhaps just rub a little colour into protea flower
Ditto above, lovely as it is.
May be some sort of natural oil ?
Ooooh can't wait to see what you do. 🤔😊
LIVE RADIO!
I don’t like the sound of my own voice, so I might let @glenrundellchairmaker and @ruthallenglass do most of the talking 😂😂 as we are on ABC National Radio, Saturday Nightlife Program at 10pm tonight (my bed time!)!
Tune in to hear us in conversation with David Prior as we discuss what it takes to be a maker in this modern age and the importance of good training and well made work.
It’ll be fun!
@abcradionational
This is awesome!!! Everyone hates the sound of their own voice, don’t let it stop you from owning the radio waves
EVENTS
CONTACT
Please do not hesitate to phone or email me to discuss your dream piece, place an order or enquire about a piece on this site. I am always happy to work with your particular specifications.
EMAIL: olivia@oliviaoconnor.com.au
PHONE: 0449 933 043
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