Working with Wood and Clay
Wood has always been a source of joy to me. Looking at trees grow, watching the changes through the seasons sharing a connection to nature. They have enormous strength whilst also being so vulnerable.
Architect and craftsman
As an architect for over 30 years, every building I worked on was unique and required a fresh approach. I believe that it was important to listen to the site and its surroundings to produce buildings that respond to the brief.
Working from my workshop in my garden, I now enjoy applying these principles to working in wood and ceramics, listening to the materials and finding new ideas for every project.
Where it all started
Looking for the natural shape in a piece of wood has influenced my designs and led to my first stool that looks a bit like a mushroom. The legs follows the line of a tree trunk and the stool top tapers out towards the edges to give a floating visual appearance whilst maintaining the strength of a thick seat.
Design Drawings
I start with a sketch looking for the natural lines that can be found in the grain of the wood. I allow the ideas to flow and avoid being guided by what machines might demand.
This helps develop the techniques required to form the complex natural shapes used to form the geometry of each piece.
Working with wood
I like to look for the unique quality of different types of wood. Elm has a rich dark grain that creates striking patterns across a seat. Oak is strong and tight grained, and takes on a life of its own when used outdoors, changing to a steely grey when properly weathered. Ash is light and cheerful and strong. Walnut is rich and dark and is also great for contrasting trims and edge details.
Let me know what type of wood you would like.
All my furniture is hand made and individually crafted. I use hand tools and enjoy making the best use of slabs of wood that are not always free of knots and imperfections.
I hope you agree that this adds unique character to my work, but if in any way you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact me and I will always do my very best to resolve any issues.