Working from his off-grid home at Lima East, Shaun Murphy (pictured with his creation) created and built the almost unnoticed lectern used at the recent annual Swanpool Environmental Film Festival.

The beautiful, and quiet, lectern is a piece of art, reflecting the caring nature of those behind the festival.

Shaun, seen by many as the area's "resident artist" lives with his wife, a district nurse, at a Lima East cooperative, surrounded by bush a living, except for rare occasions with energy coming from a solar system and a small hydroelectric plant on the creek running through the property.

When commissioned to build the lectern, Shaun said he wanted the unit to be both practical and beautiful - it is most certainly both those things.