Wood
turned and sculpted design.Their raw beauty, colours, size and durability have inspired me to sculpt from them design furniture that has to be individually imagined for each of these majestic medium. I physically and mentally roll them around trying to discover how to best express their natural features. Flashes of new designs are sketched so when a future log is viewed, references are available to better recall inspiration that had previously jogged my mojo. The top cut is an exciting commitment that binds all following processes, so the initial study must be comprehensive. The base cut is then made parallel with the top cut and thirdly, very heavy wood turning is followed by sculpting away excess weight to the selected design sketch.
A few tables have been created by the base being cut first, then the top follows suit. Blue Gum 32 shown above, was made base first to use the small branch fork as a short leg. The bulk of material was wood turned away then final sculpting to reduce weight, release tensions and refine to completion. The glass peephole replaced a small branch deformity. I love it.
Always bound by the natural wood shape, this design furniture ascribes together the inspired style, function, weight, balance, strength while highlighting choice under bark surfaces. Refining continues until all attributes are unified.
A metal detector is needed to scan the medium because people hang plants, signs, sprinkler systems, nesting boxes, radio wire saddles, telephone wire insulators, clothesline nails, tree house ladders, etc, into trees. Does this list end?. I have found bullets, fencing staples with short wire still connected, and builders nails that had been put into the tree for house profiles when the tree was much younger, and I had to cut the mature tree up for firewood to find the nails still 6" from the centre of the log. Why have I told you all this? It's because very few people want to risk their sawmills on short, knotty, bent, urban forest timber, so this material usually is firewood or dumped. I endure this risk to save our valuable resource.
Roughing out unseasoned Australian hardwood for a handmade dining table
Sculptables regularly feature wavy grain areas that are harmonious in gradually, overtime, relieving the subtle natural forces onto the sculpted surface. I desire this slight sculptural relief (striation) because it looks and feels like real timber should.
These sculpted designs require 3 years (1 year per inch thick) for the unseasoned wood turned natural shape to dry in a sheltered environment. The roughed out natural shape is then refined until style, function, weight, balance, strength (while highlighting choice under bark surfaces) are unified. Some tables take over 100 hours to create.
Our patience is rewarded when we see this saved timber beautified by combining innovative woodturning and sculptural techniques. I continually customise tools to probe the excitement of personal boundaries, as fresh ideas are born to explore the possibilities of these organic treasures.
The latest light-weight designs let two people carry them, or one person can nudge them around the lounge room.
We hope to continue our exploration to create stunning handmade wooden tables that appreciate to heritage pieces.
Commended and Highly Commended have been past accolades, and now Volcano topped the 462 entries across 21 sections to be receive this top art award.
2010 Lillipilli Champion Award "Volcano" a sculpted original design table relieved from natural wood
Judges Comment; A strikingly functional piece, aptly presented from an artistic viewpoint, by way of the carved vortex apertures indicating powerful rising force. The reflective effect of the internal finish contrasts nicely with the natural external surface: Thoughtfully designed from the environmental element.
Clients are invited to visit Sculptables studio at 29 Emerald Heights Drive, Emerald Beach, Cargo Lane Furnishings and Art, Bellingen, and Lake Russell Gallery, Emerald Beach - Coffs Harbour.