Kel Williams

Williams has been carving wood since he was ten years old, before completing his Trade Certificate in Boat Building during the 1970s. As a competent and skilled craftsman, Williams undertook a Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training in 2004 to qualify him for opportunities to teach wood carving in many remote Aboriginal and Island communities. He has established himself as an expert in creating wooden boat models that reference luggers used in the Torres Strait Islander pearling industry. Some of his small carved wooden animals have been interpreted as pendant necklaces made from gold plated base metal. In recent years Williams has been exploring printmaking and produced contemporary linocut prints through UMI Arts workshops. In 2019 Williams was the focus of a DVD production about his life as a renowned artist and wood carver. Kel is a famous regular at the Port Douglas markets, selling his wares every weekend to locals and tourists, and is respected as a master of his craft.