Kel Williams started his wood carving career building boats in the 1970s.
The Ugar and Guuguyimidhirr man from Cairns started an apprenticeship after completing Year 10.
But Kel's love for wood carving goes back ever further than that first apprenticeship.
He first learnt the craft at his grandfather's knee when he was just 10 years old.
"I've always loved wood - woodworking, wood carving - that's my passion, working with wood," he said.
After working on boats, Kel turned his hand to art, and in the early 90's decided to become a professional wood carver, selling his work at the Port Douglas markets.
Kel Williams is a much celebrated Cairns wood carver. Source: Supplied: Gregg Maxwell
"I make and sell tourist art as well as high-end art," he told NITV News.
"The tourist art gets sold at Port Douglas markets, and the high-end art goes to exhibitions and art galleries.
"My biggest highlights would have to be going into shows, art shows, competition work - I love competition work - win or lose it doesn't matter, it's just being amongst great wood carvers, sculptors."
Now, his life and work has been celebrated in a new documentary. The 10 minute short was presented last Friday by UMI Arts, a First Nations organisation in Far North Queensland that supports Indigenous culture and artists.
Kel Williams creates both high-end art and tourist art. Source: Supplied: Gregg Maxwell
Like any great artisan, Kel speaks about his work lovingly, and with a profound understanding of his craft.
"A lot of the wood that I look at, whether I collect it from the creeks or storm damage in the rainforest, I read the piece like reading a book," he said.
"I can see whatever animal or bird is in there, and I go from that. It's just a special gift that I have that I can do that.
"I'm always looking at the ground and at the trees, any of the dead timber, having a look at it, dragging the pieces across, admiring it."
That's why Kel works with the natural patterns of the wood, calling them 'mother nature's artwork'.
Kel says he reads the wood he finds, and works with the natural patterns, which he calls mother nature's art. Source: Supplied: Gregg Maxwell
"I will bring her artwork out but not touch it," he said.
"The pieces that I do sell at galleries and exhibitions, I explain all about mother nature and what she has done.
"I won't spoil her art."
Kel also takes the time to explain the stories of his pieces to visitors to his market stall.
"The tourists do love the stories," he said.
"I say to them, it's just not a bunch of wiggles and dots. When I explain every part of the artwork, they understand and know exactly what's happening."
Kel's work also features in UMI Arts latest exhibition 'The Summer Show', which is on display at the Jensen Plaza Gallery in Cairns until February 22, 2022.
