Ken McDonald is well known in the Southern Highlands as are his impressive works of art.
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A local all his life, the skilled craftsman has captured some of the region's native flora and fauna through sculpture.
This year, for the first time, the Stonemason's Trail will be launched to showcase Ken's work.
The trail will feature eight sculptures, with the most recent only completed in the past couple of months.
His works are spread throughout the towns of Bundanoon, Penrose and Wingello.
The Wingello Village Store wanted to let everyone appreciate Ken's talents and commissioned him to make a statue of the local Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo.
Ken poked around the Bundanoon quarry and found a piece that provided him with the right inspiration.
He had it delivered near his home and began working on it over 12 months ago.
The completion was delayed slightly when the bushfires came close to where Ken was working.
The amazing result was Kenneth the Cockatoo which stands over two metres tall, capturing the intensity of a local Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo gnawing intently on some Banksia Tree nuts.
Ken said the linear structure flowed up from the base of the sculpture to the Banksia blossom the parrot was eating.
While creating these beautiful works of art is far from easy, Ken said it was "a very rewarding result in the end."
Ken said the idea of the trail was a "lovely idea" and would give people "clearly defined" locations for each of his statues.
He has often been asked where his sculptures reside and they have proved to be popular from the very beginning.
Not only have his sculptures proved a hit with the locals, Ken said people had come from as far as Sydney and and Canberra to view his artworks.
"I've received some tremendously positive feedback, even in those days [when there were only three]."
On Saturday, July 18 at 10am at the Wingello Village Store, the latest statue will be unveiled to mark the beginning of the Stonemason's Trail.
The Wingello Village Store and the Bruggeman family have sponsored the Stonemason's Trail to highlight these often hidden treasures.
"A lot of people have indicated they want to come," Ken said.
And as for the possibility of more sculptures being added to the trail?
"I would like to make some more at some point in time," Ken said.
And while he is well known for his carvings of native animals and plants, Ken said he hoped to branch out and diversify his work in the near future.
"I've got all sorts of ideas. I want to branch out and show more variety and capability."
Visit https://www.dropbox.com/s/3wb0l23qggx2wjd/Stonemason%27s%20Trail.pdf?dl=0 to find out where Ken's sculptures are located along the trail.
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