Raw Materials

All the wood I use is sourced locally, from gardens or managed woodland; known as "casualty timber", it has been felled or pruned for a good reason, i.e. not grown as a commercial crop. I generally do not use any imported timber.

Just as no two trees are identical, so every piece of wood is unique, and so is the article or sculpture made from it. I try to imagine what is inside the wood before I start working on it, but always have to be ready to change my mind when I come across some unexpected feature or grain effect.

Because wood is a natural material each piece has its own character, different species ( or even the same species grown in different conditions ) behaving differently, but one thing common to all indigenous British timbers is that it will shrink as it dries, producing cracks, shakes, splits and twists. You can't stop it, but you can influence it to some extent -

• Getting oil into the finished wood as soon as possible to replace the water can help reduce the tendency to split.
• For outdoor things, rapid drying accentuates the cracking, or keeping it in the shade but where it still gets rained on for the year or so it takes to season will usually result in smaller more controlled shakes, whilst also accelerating the weathering effect ( the patina that goes with age ).

Finishes

Because I work mainly with green or part-seasoned timber, I generally use finishes which are micro-porous, as far as possible natural and/or environmentally friendly, and often very traditional. One of my favourites is Danish Oil, a blend of Tung Oil which I also sometimes use in its raw state, also on my shelf are Linseed Oil both raw and boiled, Beeswax Polish made by a local apiarist, French Polish and for particular situations a water-based acrylic laquer.

Outdoor stuff has to be treated with at least a basic fungicide/insecticide - I use a commercial type which is safe in contact with plants or animals - and where appropriate I may use preservative stains or wood-dyes.