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
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
SOCIAL:
Olivia O'Connor Carving
1 week ago
Wednesday is leg day...and also lots-of-clamps day!
Progress on Peter 🐎🐎🐎
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Where's my morning hay & oat latte?!!
Olivia O'Connor Carving
2 weeks ago
Ahhh that’s some sympathetic restoration - my favourite type!
I’m saving the original paint and patching the missing chipped parts. It’s slow and patient work but really does give the best results and maintains all that gorgeous character.
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Painstaking work but satisfying.
Olivia O'Connor Carving
3 weeks ago
1 leg done, 3 to go for Peter the wooden horse.
#horse #rockinghorse #woodcarving ... See MoreSee Less
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Olivia O'Connor Carving
1 month ago
I’ve been enjoying carving these sleepy little hares lately, so much so I may even start dreaming about them...😴🐇❤️
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So beautiful Olivia
Gorgeous!
Olivia O'Connor Carving
1 month ago
Ruby’s been caught reading how I got into carving and rocking horses in the current issue of The Australian Woodworker Magazine.
She’s put out due to only 1 mention of her and now it’s startlingly clear she needs reading specs! ... See MoreSee Less
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Go you! Will grab a copy x
Olivia O'Connor Carving
1 month ago
Who doesn’t love the rosy rump of a bay horse?!
Mr. Woopy you sure are looking fine!
Once I’ve carved, it takes approx 20 layers of paint and close to week to get this finish 😱😊 🐎 🎨 🎨🎨
#painting #bayhorse #horse #rockinghorse #handcarved #timberhorse #woodcarving #woodcarver #madebyme #madeinvictoria #madeingippsland ... See MoreSee Less
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He looks like chocolate!
Stunning. Any more photos? X
Olivia O'Connor Carving
2 months ago
Hare, Hare, Seahorse having one final gossip in the winter sunshine before they are separated and sent to separate homes. Luckily as necklaces they will often leave the house and have vowed to keep an eye out for each other in the world beyond my workshop. Best of friends, forever connected by the knowledge they are all from the same tree.
#carving #woodcarving #woodcarver #hare #seahorse #merhorse ... See MoreSee Less
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Love what you wrote Olivia Bolivia and they are beautiful.
So excited for their arrival!
Gorgeous little babies
Olivia O'Connor Carving
2 months ago
The creation of Mr. Woopy! From a pile of timber on my bench, add some weeks of work and then you have a real life rocking horse ready for adventures!
#rockinghorse #woodenhorse #woodworking #woodcarving #carving #madeingippsland #makermade #handmade #bespoke ... See MoreSee Less
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Just handed over the rocking horse Ash's Dad made to young grandsons for some adventure. Good to see it used.
Beautiful carving Olivia x
Love your creations Olivia inspiring ⭐️
Olivia O'Connor Carving
2 months ago
Maybe I should’ve carved bumping elbows instead? ... See MoreSee Less
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Wow! What an artist you are!
A beautiful example of how we used to greet people xx
Love your work Olivia
Great work, Olivia.
Truly gifted💖💖💖💖
Awesome!
Very real amazing
Beautiful!
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Olivia O'Connor Carving
2 months ago
I’ll be live streaming some rocking horse carving with @marymaywoodcarving for anyone wanting to jump in and watch or ask questions. It’s live Mary’s Twitch TV account and also available on there to watch afterwards.
Streaming at 7am tomorrow morning for Australia (Friday, Melbourne time) or at 5pm today (Thursday, New York Time) for America. Tune in to see if I make it to my studio on time! ... See MoreSee Less
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Olivia O'Connor Carving
2 months ago
Hope you’re feeling as happy as these three happy dogs chasing their tails in some gorgeous Autumn sunshine!!
#carving #woodcarving #handcarved #dog #dogsofinstagram #happy ... See MoreSee Less
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Lovely, Olivia. You are thriving on trying different things!
This is wonderfully creative. Well done
Lovely indeed!!
Olivia O'Connor Carving
3 months ago
Hippo-baby, a real life mythical sea monster. Hand carved in timber and covered in copper leaf...should see the sparkle in the morning light! Aged, with natural oils and sealed, with just the lightest of patina colour!
#woodcarving #copper #hippocampus #seahorse #creativityxgigi #oliviaoconnorcarving ... See MoreSee Less
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I love this! Don’t suppose you have made a necklace or brooch or possibly could?
Breath taking 💖
Nice work!
Wow it's amazing 😍 You must be so proud!!
Beautiful!!
Oh it’s lovely !
Lovely!
How fabulous.
Wonderful, Olivia.
How beautiful!!!! Gorgeous work Olivia!!! 🤩
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Olivia O'Connor Carving
3 months ago
Charlie boy clearly feeling rather settled in his new home with plenty of time to get to know everyone in isolation!
#horse #rockinghorse #memade #heirloom #creativityxgigi ... See MoreSee Less
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Chantelle Schultes
I think Charlie is gorgeous Olivia 😘
Love this Olivia. Can’t wait to get ours
I've always wanted a dappled grey 🙂 Charlie's beautiful
I've always one of these 😍
Love it I want one ❤️
Pricing please
Oh my goodness. How much is this type to buy
Fantastic
Beautiful
Stunning
Stunning Marney Neal
Kevin Barker omg... 😍
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Olivia O'Connor Carving
3 months ago
Little sleeping hare necklace.
Carved by me in blackwood and finished with 🔥🔥🔥 (1st time trying, it was mildly terrifying) and oil.
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This is so beautiful, you are so talented xx
I think these would sell very well.... Let me know if you do!
I’m I love with it!!! 💜
Gorgeous! How big?
Gorgeous
It’s lovely
Very gifted you are!! Great care went into this.
This is so beautiful... I love hares
So gentle and beautiful
Gorgeous
Beautiful
I love this ❤️ Olivia
Sweet 💕
Thank you to everyone for such lovely feedback on this little baby! I will be carving some more and selling them for $125 each (including postage Australia wide). Each sleeping hare necklace is carved from South Gippsland Blackwood and the carving is approx 5.5cm long x 4.5cm high. Please email me at olivia@oliviaoconnor.com.au if you would like to take care of one of these little hares...or if you have another carving project in mind! Thanks so much , Olivia x
Thank you to everyone for such lovely feedback on this little baby! I will be carving some more and selling them for $125 each (including postage Australia wide). Each sleeping hare necklace is carved from South Gippsland Blackwood and the carving is approx 5.5cm long x 4.5cm high. Please email me at olivia@oliviaoconnor.com.au if you would like to take care of one of these little hares...or if you have another carving project in mind! Thanks so much , Olivia x For those who asked about purchasing: Ronda Featherstone Mary Duff Christine Ruiter 🐇😀🐇💚🐇
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Olivia O'Connor Carving
3 months ago
I’ve been meaning to do this for quite some time and have finally colour coded my tools. I’ve met some carvers who pickup a tool, use it and lay it down in an exact spot to find quickly again but try as I might I’m just not made like that. I use a tool and before I know it I’ve picked up another one and lost the previous in a pile of wood chips - which are frequently the same colour as my tools! I’m really surprised at just how these little stripes of paint have sped up my process 🏃♀️ 🏃♀️ ✊
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A good tip for garden tools too! A dab of red paint will stop you leaving them in the rain.
Beautiful! And a simple way to make life easier. 🙂