Earthly Treasures No 31, an Elm & Mixed Mineral Sculpture by Morrison Thomas

‘Earthly Treasures No 26’ is a unique sculptural bowl by the British artist, Morrison Thomas. It is made from sycamore inlaid with Chrysocolla & Malachite. Morrison turns beautifu...

‘Earthly Treasures No 27’ is a unique sculptural bowl by the British artist, Morrison Thomas. It is made from burred English Elm inlaid with Cornish Turquoise. Morrison turns beautiful wooden spheres from damaged or diseased trees that have been felled as they can no longer survive. Using aged wood such as this, reveals cracks and crevices which the artist can inlay with precious minerals. The results are breathtaking. These take on the role of globes and are evocative of old maps. The minerals suggest undiscovered islands and continents. During Thomas’ time as a designer and maker of furniture it was usual practice to mask and hide any blemishes or cracks in the wood, however much like the Japanese art of Kintsugi (where ceramic breakages are repaired with gold and precious metals) Thomas highlights the anomalies in the wood by inlaying them with naturally formed colorful minerals, many taken from his personal collection which he still adds to. Recent visits to the ‘World Famous’ Blue John Mine and also a working Fluorspar mine in Derbyshire has meant new materials for future inlays. With the wood hard to find and unpredictable to turn, the resulting union of the Earth’s natural resources are patiently and skilfully jigsawed together, resulting in truly unique treasure-laden artworks. Is his own words: ‘The two mediums I combine both come directly from the Earth. The trees form and grow at the surface whilst the minerals can form at great depth. It is not unknown for some trees to have accumulated pieces of crystals in their roots. The thought of this combination of a substance formed during explosive episodes in the Earth millions of years ago with a gently formed living substance, which may have been growing for hundreds of years before finally coming to an end, is both exhilarating and intriguing. I think of it as a fusion between animate and inanimate, above and below the ground, naturally both beautiful, and without which, we as humans could not survive’ Morrison Thomas was born at New Inn Cottage in the tiny village of Charlton near Banbury, Oxfordshire. His father was a cabinet maker & carpenter who was also a wheelwright and blacksmith, as with many village craftsman of the time, he was skilled in all things. Keeping the family tradition, Thomas continued in his father’s footsteps and is a fourth generation woodworker. As a furniture designer & maker Thomas has exhibited his work in numerous high profile galleries and undertaken many prestigious commissions. He has written articles on woodworking with his work appearing in numerous publications. Previously the chairman of the Surrey Guild of Craftsmen and with a listing in Debrett’s Who’s Who, his achievements are many, especially in consideration that he received no formal training, with his skills obtained from observing and listening to his father. For many years Thomas designed and made contemporary furniture but mainly due to health reasons stopped making larger-scale works. With woodworking in his blood and a material he simply couldn’t stop creating with, he resumed his creative skills some years later by making unique hand-turned wooden vessels...

'Woven Pastel Mandala No 6 (shiny)' is a unique handblown, sculpted and cut glass sculpture by the British artist, Layne Rowe. Rowe’s inspiration is drawn from the dramatic Devon coastline which informs his love for detail, a constant theme for his ever-evolving creations. The Woven series in particular is the result of intricate layers of varied coloured canes which are manipulated to follow and twist around the form of the piece, creating movement. These are then cold cut to reveal the vibrant colours hidden beneath the surface. In his own words: “The effect is like water over precious stones or the rock with its glimmering colours beneath reflecting natural growth and corrosion. I enjoy observing people’s reactions to my work, everything is up for interpretation, as my work is diverse, complex and sometimes subversive. It invites you to look again and again. My introduction to hot glass gave me an insatiable desire to explore this medium to its limits. I find glass an inspiration in itself but have found inspiration from the natural world and its issues” Rowe’s journey with glass began during his degree course in 3D design at the University of Central Lancashire. During the following seven years he worked alongside a number of glassmakers at the London Glass Blowing hot shop, enhancing and Fine-tuning his skills before moving to Brazil. During this time Rowe set up his own glass studio but also experienced a different working environment alongside Industrial glassmakers. On returning to the UK with an initial set-up in Hertfordshire, he rejoined London Glassblowing, where he has worked on and off from 2005 to the present day. Currently, Rowe now makes his work at a number of studios all-over the UK and also produces Peter Layton...

'Florianna' is unique glass artwork by the British artist, Peter Bowles. Initially studying glass at Stourbridge College of Art and Design, Peter Bowles went on to work with some o...

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A powerful piece with terrific presence, this large mixed media sculpture by American artist Thomas A. Bartel (b. 1949) shows a myriad of inspirations and influences. There are forms...