Max Bainbridge - Heirloom Wood: A Modern Guide to Carving Spoons, Bowls, Boards, and Other Homewares

A MODERN GUIDE TO CARVING SPOONS, BOWLS, BOARDS, AND OTHER HOMEWARES

MAX BAINBRIDGE

Photography: Dean Hearne
Design: Tina Smith

ABRAMS | NEW YORK

To my Nana, Jean Gray

Editor: Cristina Garces
Production Manager: Alex Cameron
Cover Design: John Gall

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016945895

ISBN: 978-1-4197-2476-3
eISBN: 978-1-68335-084-2

Text Max Bainbridge 2016
Photography Dean Hearne 2016
Design Kyle Books 2016
First published in Great Britain in 2016 by Kyle Books

Published in 2017 by Abrams, an imprint of ABRAMS. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

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Wood has fascinated me for as long as I can remember. Everything from its smell and texture to its grain and color has always intrigued me, and I knew early on that it would be something I would work with. It is such a versatile and beautiful material that can be used in endless applications. One of my earliest childhood memories is firing a bow and arrow that I had made in our backyard. It had carved notches where the string sat at each end, and a handle carved into the bark revealing bright, white sapwood. I think it was this revelation that had such a lasting effect on me: the moment that I understood you could take a tree branch, and by the simple act of cutting, transform it into something usefulsomething that had a function. With a simple intervention, you can reveal qualities in the wood that at first glance are not visible. It is this infinite potential that leaves me feeling just as amazed and excited today as it did when I made that first cut all those years ago. I have been a maker all my life, but it is only in the past few years that I have started to work with wood as a craft. I made a conscious decision to hone my need to work with my hands into a set of skills. Being able to apply these skills to create objects that are not only beautiful in their form, but also functional and a pleasure to use, has become the driving force behind my work. Being a maker, woodworker, craftsman, carver, artist (whatever you want to call it), is not just a job, it is a way of life. Whenever I give an interview or talk to someone about what I do, I find myself coming back to the same way of phrasing it, and that is to say that I live what I do. It is all-consuming. I am never not at work and I never have a day off. I think this is true of anyone who makes things or has a craft. I dont just do this as a means to an endI do this period. There is never an end point, and that is what I find so exciting. My work is a process that is constantly evolving, constantly changing, and because of that I am constantly learning. I have approached writing this book in the same way that I would start to design a new shape of spoon or work with a new species of wood. It has been both daunting and exciting in equal measure. I have had to examine every aspect of my making process, break it down into separate steps, and then try to put them all back together on paper in a way that communicates my love of what I do. It has made me look at the way I use the tools I work with and how much I actually understand the nature of wood itself. It has made me scrutinize every aspect of my own methods and has taught me as much about my own craft as I wish to impart to my readers.

Being a maker... is not just a job, it is a way of life.

I hope that by writing this book I can excite other people about the craft of carving and the magic of making. It is important for me to pass on the skills I have learned so that others will get the same joy and satisfaction from the making process as I do. It is fundamental that people realize that working with wood is something that everyone can do; you just need to have a starting point and a determination to learn. I started with a book, some YouTube videos, and a large box of band-aids. Three years later I am running my full-time business, Forest + Found, with my partner Abigail and making functional objects using traditional skills with contemporary design. In this book I will explore different techniques and processes including carving, filing, scorching, sanding, and waxing, all of which will be used to make objects that can be used in your home every day. If something doesnt have an actual function, then it doesnt usually leave the workshop. Everything is designed to have a use, and everything that gets made is useful.

Everything is designed to have a use, and everything that gets made is useful.

Living in a city has an effect on everything I make: it determines where I work, the materials I use, and it influences aspects of my design process. Being based in Walthamstow in East London, I am surrounded by the most diverse sources of both inspiration and materials. It is so important when living and working in a city to seek out the green spaces. It is these places that give you a change of environment and allow you time to breathe and think. I am fortunate to be in close proximity to Epping Forest, which covers 9 square miles of ancient woodland between the borders of North-East London and Essex. Its worth visiting your neighboring forests too, not only to stock up on a good selection of native hardwoods, but to retreat to the tranquillity of nature.

Being in an urban environment has meant I have had to seek out different sources of wood that can provide a sustainable and regular supply of material to work with. This does not mean just seeking out forests and green spaces. As well as working with forestry staff, I have also built up relationships with furniture- and cabinetmakers over the years. Getting to know other craftspeople can result in a regular supply of hardwood that would otherwise be burned or go to a landfill. Being able to take a by- product of someone elses industry and transform it into something useful is a very important part of how I work. I think it is vital to understand that you can get ahold of workable timber from just about anywhere. As long as you go through the proper channels and take the time to talk to people, most of the time they will be more than willing to help. Whether you live in a large city or a small town, all the information I have compiled in this book is just as valid and useful. It will enable you to discover what is available to you and where to go to find it.