You might remember the old swamp cypress tree that used to stand in the garden of Dulwich Picture Gallery. It had to be cut down last October as it was sick.
Nic Webb, a local artist and craftsman, has been turning the wood from the poorly tree into beautiful objects.
He says: “I went past the gallery a few years ago and thought to myself ‘that tree doesn’t look too well. I wonder how I can get my hands on some of that when it comes down?’ About a year later I got a call from my colleague’s mother, saying that there was some wood going in Dulwich. And it was the same tree!”
We featured a piece about the felling on Dulwich OnView. And you can watch a video of the tree being felled on the Gallery website.
In his studio at Vangaurd Court (opposite Southwark Town Hall) Nic takes rough pieces of wood and transforms them into beautiful pieces of art for the home. Using a range of rustic looking tools he carves the wood when it’s still ‘wet’ (aka fresh) so that it still has some give in the material and is softer to work. He’s been making everything from small spoons to salad servers and huge bowls.
‘Why spoons?’ I ask him.
“I’ve always been interested in wood. I usually make something for my Mum each Christmas. One year I made her a bowl. It was a nice piece, but it was lacking something – it needed something else. So I made her a spoon to go with it and I’ve been making spoons ever since.”
Nic’s also recently been on silversmithing course at Morley College, combining his creative talents and his appreciation of the spoon form with the techniques of working in silver.
Following natural lines in the wood
What I really liked about meeting Nic was the honesty with which he creates these spoons. Rather than creating a spoon design and then simply cutting it out of a piece of wood, he allows himself to be led by the natural shapes and lines in the grain of the wood.
So some pieces end up looking perfectly symmetrical, but others have a natural, organic shape which gives them a real charm. It’s a reminder that these are individually crafted pieces, made slowly and by hand. (He makes about two a day.)
“There’s a similarity amongst them, but they certainly aren’t all uniform. Often the material dictates where I’m going to carve so it’s about being able to read a piece of wood and figure out its potential.”
The natural finish to these spoons means that they’re not covered in layers of varnish and polish.
The ethos of the craftsman
It’s so refreshing to meet someone who has chosen to spend time creating beautiful things with their hands. Nic clearly has a real passion for uniquely crafted objects and the individual spirit of a maker who spends time working in this way. It’s a great backlash against the domestic rubbish we all seem to buy from high street stores.
“I feel that at the moment we’re looking for ways of waking up sleeping talents and interests. People are looking for unique objects to put in their homes. It’s about intricate, natural finishes, not plastic rubbish.
“It’s about slowing things down, getting away from unnecessary expense and creating so much waste. We’re striving for a sustainability in life. We’ve got ourselves into such a mess and we simply can’t carry on like this.”
Nic’s spoons made from local wood are a great example of this ethos. You meet him in person and see (and buy) the spoons for yourself at the Christmas shopping event at Dulwich Picture Gallery on 19 November. Three other artists from same studios as Nic will be present as well. There’ll be more details about the event on Dulwich OnView nearer the time.
Have a go yourself
Nic’s also been teaching wood-carving workshops at King Henry’s Walk community garden in Islington. “For many people taking part, this is a chance to work with a new material and learn new skills.” Details of forthcoming courses at the garden are available on their website.
Photos of Nic’s spoons are thanks to local photographer Michael Harvey.
2 Comments
Did he make something any bigger than spoons? A whole tree of spoons?
hahaha my brother in law chopped that tree down.