To say Guil Noronha is versatile is certainly an understatement.
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The young Maitland dad has graced the stage of the Sydney Opera House, appeared on our TV screens in high profile commercials, has been treading the boards with Maitland Repertory for many years and has now has turned his hand to wood turning.
Guil has opened a business in Swan Street, Morpeth - just behind Campbell's store and to coincide with his new venture has launched a YouTube channel - Guil the Bearded Woodworker.
Guil was browsing through YouTube one evening and stumbled across a video of someone turning a pen. "I thought I'd like to try that and it has just grown from there," he said.
"I sell wood fountain pens, pocket watches, platters, bowls, jewellery, chopping boards, art sculptures, vases - anything I can create. I'm always trying to think outside the box," he said.
Every piece in the shop is unique and there are no two pieces the same. Each piece is a little artistic expression of me
- Guil Noronha
Guil The Bearded Woodworker opened in January and has been "a very positive experience", Guil said.
"I love what I do - love meeting and talking to people who come in. This work is something I'm enjoying with my family, with my girls who love to help me with some odd wood working jobs and greeting customers. Even my six month old son is a familiar smiling face at the business," he said.
"Every piece in the shop is unique and there are no two pieces the same. Each piece is a little artistic expression of me."
Guil sources most of his wood from the local area "much to the frustration of my wife," he said. "She's always coming home to a backyard full of logs, burls and tree stumps. I've collected drift wood from the beach and now it's a vase."
In 2017 Guil finished a season with Opera Australia in its production of Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci and more recently filmed television commercials in Sydney for Toyota and KFC. Guil has a colourful theatrical background, performing and directing in more than 50 shows in Sydney, Newcastle and Maitland.
"Nothing is happening on stage at the moment but I'm doing a few things on my YouTube woodworking channel. There is another commercial in the wings. Filming begins this week," he said.