Our Instructors
Patrick Hennebery
Patrick Hennebery has lived and built on Mayne Island, B.C. since 1983. He is a self taught carpenter/builder who took is first cob workshop with Ianto Evans of Cob Cottage Company in 1997. Since then he has gone on to complete over 25 cob homes, plus many ovens, garden walls, fireplaces and sheds.
Living on a small island (pop. 900 on 8 square miles) has given me a great place to develop my natural building skills. There is a wonderful abundance of materials. Driftwood logs from the beach for post and beam, small sawmills that will cut any dimensional lumber required, local sandstone for floors and foundations, and a abundant supply of sand and clay. The local recycling depot is an unlimited source for steel, windows, wood stoves, cardboard for ceiling insulation, crushed glass for curtain drains and used plumbing and electrical parts. If someone is clearing a lot on the island, I get a phone call about all the curved trees they can't use and can I pick them up.
Our workshops focus on using recycled and local materials and giving participants the skills, confidence and network to take on their own project.
My ultimate goal would would be to build a "10 Mile House", where every material required for the construction of a home, was from the island!
Tracy Calvert
Cobworks co-founder and workshop leader since 1999.
Tracy has worked extensively with cob, straw bale, straw clay and chip slip and is also a master plasterer. When not doing workshops, Tracy does natural building consulting, carpentry and art. Tracy and her partner, Jude live on Pender Island and have two straw bale structures where they teach and build fine furniture and stained glass.