Queanbeyan sculptor helps make saving endangered animals into an artform

When you spend more than 30 years in the public service, chances are your opportunities to speak out about improving the system may be limited.

For Queanbeyan’s David Smith, working across a range of agencies over those years was just what you did. Work, go home, pay bills, go back to work again. Questioning why some decisions were made, particularly those related to the environment, were not on the agenda.

But as someone who grew up in an artistic family, there was always that creative spirit bubbling up that wasn’t always conducive to being the best public servant.

“My family was all artistic,” he said. “They all ended up following their professional choices into that sphere. I ended up studying architecture at uni, thinking I would find my artistic niche, but that didn’t happen.

“So I ended up following a career that took me into the sciences. I’d always tinkered with art, doing courses in stained glass, life drawing, pottery, jewellery, that sort of thing, but mainly as an interest.

“You know how it is, once you get into the workforce you run out of time to do the things you love; you get caught in that cycle of earning money to pay the bills.”

But about seven years ago, David developed a particular interest in sculpture, creating large structures in metal that told the stories he wanted to tell.

“It was in my last five years [in the public service] that I started to delve more into sculpture,” he said. “It was all about working with steel; I loved it.

“I ended up doing a blacksmithing course and a welding course and found myself putting more time into sculpting so I decided to leave the public service and follow my passion.

“I do appreciate that I was fortunate to be able to follow this passion before I died of old age,” he joked.

Today, David’s work is being showcased at Queanbeyan’s Rusten House in an exhibition called Endangered.

The exhibition looks at native Australian animals that, because of climate change, habitat loss, urban encroachment and introduced pests – are threatened, vulnerable or endangered. The works are made from steel and wood, enhanced by stone and resin.

David creates his pieces from his Queanbeyan home where he has lived for almost 40 years. He has a forge out the back for metalwork and a workshop under the house for everything else.

“With this exhibition,” he said, “I wanted to do something local. I did a bit of reading about endangered species in the region and thought it would be good to recreate some of these animals.

“When I was in the public service I did my job even if I didn’t believe in the politics. I didn’t like the poor attention given to environmental issues, so I thought, being no longer fettered by the restraints of being a good silent worker, I could make a bit of a statement with my art.

“I chose 12 species in a wide range of ecosystems that were threatened or endangered, playing with the idea of trying to bring them to life.

“Sure it was something I had a bit of fun with, but there is a serious message threaded through it.”

Endangered is on exhibition at Rusten House, 87 Collett Street, Queanbeyan, until the end of July. A free exhibition, it is open from Wednesday to Saturday, from 10 am to 4 pm.

A percentage of the proceeds from sales of the works will go to Wildcare Queanbeyan for the care of native animals.