Whittling Away
Last weekend saw the annual Arts & Crafts festival at West Dean College in West Sussex, which showed off the best works of talented artists and craftspeople from around the UK and beyond. Some exhibitors also gave live demonstrations of the techniques they used in their work, like Andrew Byham, who works in woodcraft.
Watching Andrew transforming a shapeless piece of wood into one of his delicate hand-carved spoons was mesmerising. He made it look so simple, although whittling is a precise and tricky skill that takes time to perfect. Not that Andrew seeks perfection - he started whittling spoons and bowls simply as a means to relax and switch off. In an increasingly digital world, slow crafts provide a meditative escape from sensory overload. Each spoon takes between one and two hours to carve, while a bowl is more likely to take three to five hours. Andrew likes to take his time, using a small hatchet to carve the basic outline, before moving on to more precise tools to achieve the shape and finish he is looking for. He never uses sandpaper to finish off a piece, preferring the texture left by the razor-sharp knives he uses.
Although his bowls and spoons are beautiful in their simplicity, Andrew believes that they must be primarily functional. The materials he uses are also of great importance; wood (primarily Birch and Beech green wood) is sourced through local conservation and land management projects that Andrew is involved with. He especially likes to take wood that’s destined for the bonfire and turn it into something useful.
Demonstrating at events like the Arts & Crafts Festival keeps crafts like woodcraft alive. As Andrew himself was inspired by woodturner Robin Wood, it is up to craftspeople like him to encourage an interest in traditional skills and techniques. After all, we could all do with slowing down sometimes.
www.andrewbyhamwoodcraft.co.uk
Blog post by Jessica Edney.
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