If you’ve ever walked through the bays of Edinburgh Open Workshop and caught the bright blue flash of a welding torch, chances are it was Gavin Turnbull at work. One of EOW’s longest-standing resident members, Gavin is a sculptor, model maker, and prop fabricator whose career has spanned more than three decades.

From Props to Projects of Scale

“I started out making props and models for photography and TV commercials,” Gavin recalls. “Back then it wasn’t so metal-heavy – more wood, resin, plastics – but over time I’ve built up my welding skills and now that’s where most of my work lies.”

Under his company, Models and Props, Gavin’s portfolio stretches across media, theatre, exhibitions, and large-scale installations. One standout project was fabricating sliding bridges with Big House Events for a Cirque du Soleil show at the Macallan Whisky Distillery – an ambitious piece of engineering for the brand’s 200th anniversary celebration, Spirited by Nature.

“It’s funny how the skills build on each other,” he says. “Every project teaches you something new – and sometimes you realise what you learned years ago suddenly becomes the missing piece you need now.”

A Fixture at Edinburgh Open Workshop

“I’ve been here right from the start,” he laughs. “I used to pester Stuart for corners of workshop space to work in. And over the years I’ve seen EOW evolve and expand.”

As the demands of his other work slowed, Gavin found himself increasingly involved in the life of the workshop – and unexpectedly, in teaching.

“I didn’t think I’d end up teaching,” he admits. “The team was exploring ways to make EOW more sustainable. I was asked if I’d be interested in running a welding class, just one to see how it went. Turns out there are hundreds of people who want to learn to weld – doesn’t matter how many courses we run, there’s a constant supply! And I’ve discovered I actually really enjoy it.”