BUNDABERG has seen John Olsen’s work for years now, whether dotted around town or in a gallery, and this month his work will once again be highlighted in Hazzard’s first exhibit of the year.

The exhibit titled Aussie Wild will showcase at Hazzard Gallery with 20 different animals from the bilby to the wallaby and kangaroo

Mr Olsen starting sculpting in 1988 and said the process is now a refined art form.

“I don’t do nearly as much welding as I used to because I am now a much better welder,” Mr Olsen said.

“Once I have these pieces it doesn’t take me long to put it together.

I would make at least three in the time it used to take me to do one, it is just that much easier.”

He said the hardest part of the process was finding the right pieces of metal from the scrap yard to fulfil his vision.

“One of the things you can’t recognise or visibly take into account is the amount of time it takes to find the right pieces.”

“You can make anything out of anything, but to do it well, or for me, I have specific bits and pieces in my mind that can take a long time to find.”

But even after 32 years of sculpting and a garage full of sculptures Mr Olsen said there is nothing like it.

“I always enjoy it, it gives you peace of mind and the world around you is just closed out, non-existent.

“I was absolutely not taught, but even as a young child I had some ambition from somewhere to sculpt.”

The exhibition opens on January 31 and runs until February 29 and is able to be viewed every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning from 9am-noon.