Tony Grove
The woodwork master
Tony Grove, 57, is a serious shipwright. “It’s my trade,” he says with conviction. Growing up in the Vancouver area, he trained as a ship builder in the 1980s and was employed by a family business to restore wooden boats. His journey to Garbiola Island is typical of many: in 1999 the owner of the Silva Bay Shipyard School invited Tony to become a teacher there. Tony spent six years at the school and many young people who studied with him are now themselves residents of Gabriola, owning or building their own wooden boats.
When Tony arrived on the island an owner placed an order with him to build a 30ft wooden sailboat. The project needed its own home, so Tony bought an old truck mechanic’s shop in the woods. He transformed the shed into a shipyard and hired other craftspeople to help with the build, but running the build and teaching took its toll so he eventually left the Shipyard School.
Later, he founded a school of his own, The Grove Woodworking School. Today, Tony teaches general skills and techniques of woodwork, from how to carve a wooden spoon to how to build your own canoe. He lives a quiet life and loves to share his rich storehouse of skills in small class settings.
Also an accomplished marine artist, Tony is known for his artwork, technical writing and custom woodworking. “It comes naturally, like a normal act of my life. Like carving a piece of wood, it’s my sanity.”