IMPERFECT OFFERINGS

Ring the bells that still can ring,

Forget your perfect offering,

There is a crack in everything,

It’s where the light gets in.

Leonard Cohen, Anthem.

An important part of the ideas that underly all my work is the Japanese concept of wabi sabi – embracing imperfection, impermanence and incompleteness. All wood has a propensity to crack – some more so than others. Rather than trying to avoid this or hide it, I like to celebrate it as part of the tree’s contribution to the design.

I have various ways of doing this. One is to simply leave the cracks and inclusions as they are and incorporate them into the finished item. Another way, if the cracks aren’t too big, is to fill them with powdered metal mixed with an adhesive (I’ve been experimenting with natural pine resin).

A third way is to use metal staples or straps – copper is my metal of choice. These can be discreet or blatant, depending on the overall effect that I want. A rough ‘repair’ on a refined piece can be especially effective. This method has the additional advantage of stabilising the crack.

Whichever method I choose, the goal is to enhance the design and give an added dimension to the finished piece.