Father & son getting ready for Art in Action

The original planks used to make our Oneoak furniture pieces

Jody and I have been getting ready for Art in Action, making furniture from the wood of the 220-year old oak from Blenheim Palace. We will be demonstrating and co-exhibiting with other artists and crafts people as part of the OneOak project organised by the Sylva Foundation.

Jody's daughter Maya and some of the OneOak pieces made by Jody

One of the pieces I made was a large dining circular dining table. This photograph was made by Nick Gibbs of British Woodworking when he featured me in his magazine for the July/August edition this year.

Please visit Art in Action, 19 - 22 July 2012 (10-5.30) at Waterperry House, Near Wheatley, Oxford and come and say hello to us!

OneOak Project

Philip and Jody with the boards from the OneOak tree

Art in Action ~ 19-22 July 2012

I’ve been invited to demonstrate and exhibit at Art in Action this summer, 19-22 July 2012 (http://www.artinaction.org.uk/) as part of the OneOak project. Not for the first time as I was first invited in 1982 and have since put in a regular appearance. This year, however, it will be father and son as Jody, my son who came along whilst still a baby in a buggy in 1982, will be joining me! Jody, based in Northumberland, has been making furniture for two years. When he decided on a career change from teaching it was a big surprise to me as I hadn’t given him any encouragement and neither had he shown any interest in furniture making as a child or adolescent, or so I thought. When he graduated at Cardiff in psychology I gave him a gift of a 3-day course in green woodworking taught by an inspirational Gudrun Leitz. This started him on a path, including building his own steam-bent ash yurt in which he lived for two years. His workshop is part of a converted barn near his home.

We will be exhibiting a range of furniture made from a 222-year old oak tree from Blenheim Palace as part of the OneOak exhibition, which will be taking over the Woodworking tent at Art in Action this year. Jody and I will be demonstrating the use of the hand spokeshave. This will be an opportunity for anyone, young and old, to try their hand at this versatile tool.

You can find out more about the OneOak project of the Sylva Foundation, run by Dr Gabriel Hemery, here: http://www.sylva.org.uk/oneoak/blog.php?post=2361