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Sea-green Bench
Water-based dyes applied in washes highlight the beautiful medullary rays of pure quartered oak.
Patterns change infinitely as shavings are removed, shifting in unpredictable ways. Marks would link-up as wafer thin sheaths, but the cleaving and surfacing intercept the flow and create something unique and painterly.
Patterns change infinitely as shavings are removed, shifting in unpredictable ways. Marks would link-up as wafer thin sheaths, but the cleaving and surfacing intercept the flow and create something unique and painterly.
The origins of this bench would not be found searching wood-yards, it's a demanding lengthy process beginning with finding a log and then radial splitting as seen below. The likelihood of splitting cleanly and rendering free flowing medullary ray patterns is largely down to luck (and my enjoying it as a pastime).
Finding wood suitable for bench lengths is difficult. I'm indebted to local wood-cutters for these good logs, found in the Scottish Border areas of Eccles, Kelso and Nisbet village in that order here.
Long cleft oak Bench of Kelso timber.
Modest in shape - yet like no other, each riven product has an individuality that goes beyond the visible surface. It's intrinsicaly bound to the inner-growth of the mother tree. The pleasure in splitting is the discovery of something new. Hand finishing the surface with wooden-planes, adze or spoke-shave continues an affinity to the material and its workability and leaves behind its subtle rythmic marks.
Riven, coloured and carved.