the artist

I have been working with wood professionally for over 30 years and, apart from two years training as a joiner, I am completely self taught. During this time I have always worked on my own and have had periods attempting to earn a living as a furniture maker, restorer and turner, resorting to joinery when times have been hard. Since 1985 I have focused exclusively on turning wood.

Initially, between 1985 and 1989, I made functional work; salad and fruit bowls, light pulls, etc., etc.!! I also designed and made a small range of kitchen utensils which was sold in the David Mellor's kitchen shop in London. At this time I had no intention of becoming an artist, but I always tried to produce work of exceptional quality. However, in 1989 I started experimenting, out of necessity, with turning unseasoned wood. I had seen a beautiful holly bowl by Richard Raffan which had been green turned and had distorted with perfect symmetry. It occurred to me that if it was possible to predict the distortion of a piece with such accuracy then a whole new world of design was opened up which was not possible if one only used seasoned timber. It also struck me as an exciting challenge and, at this point, I could see no one who was developing this idea in anything but the the most mundane way.

By 1994, I had given up turning functional pieces, preferring the excitement and challenge of taking green turning as far as I could. The forms developed as the years passed, I was sometimes led up blind alleys by ego or technique, sometimes held back by my own limited imagination. For the last seven years I feel I have produced work by which l am pleased to be remembered.

The timber I use comes from within 30 miles of the studio and the focus of my work is on creating an aesthetically successful marriage between the predictable distortion of wood as it dries and the highly refined forms I have developed over the years.

We have recently moved from the borders of Pembrokeshire and I now live and work in an old Welsh longhouse close to Snowdonia National Park. The peace and isolation here gives me the freedom and tranquility needed to concentrate for the long hours it takes to create the work.

I look forward with keen anticipation to see what new developments will be inspired by our move to the mountains!

arrived

1953, Sunbury on Thames, Middlesex, England

training

Self taught, with over 30 years professional experience of working with wood as a furniture maker, restorer and woodturner.

Between 1985 and 2005 I focused solely on woodturning.

exhibitions

My work has featured in numerous exhibitions since 1989 including:

international

UK provincial

awards, prizes, etc.

collections

20th Century Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

Sainsbury Centre for Visual Art, University of East Anglia, Norwich.

The Derek Williams Collection, National Museum & Galleries of Wales, Cardiff.

The Hosomi Museum and Art Foundation, Kyoto, Japan

Also in many private collections worldwide.

Taken from "in-view" news and events at the Victoria & Albert Museum (May/August 1996)

David Petersen, artist blacksmith, designer & TV programme maker

Christine Kinsey, artist

David Alston, Keeper of Art, National Museum & Galleries of Wales. (Now Galleries Director, The Lowry Centre, Manchester.)