Kevin Gauld

The Orkney Furniture Maker, Kirkwall, Orkney

2024

Ash, oat straw and sisal string

146cm x 63cm x 80cm

The Orkney chair is a unique piece of furniture that was originally made by crofters across the islands of Orkney. Few trees grow on these islands so the frames were typically made of driftwood or other reclaimed pieces of timber. Crofters also grew their own oats which they harvested for the straw to form the chair backs.

For Skila, I have harnessed the curving properties of ash to shape the iconic Orkney hood. I have also grown my own oats in a field close to my workshop. Sown in spring, the oats are harvested by hand with a scythe in September and put into sheaves to dry. Once dried, the golden straw is cleaned and carefully stitched by hand to the chair’s frame.

Skila takes its name from the Old Norse word for shelter. Its hooded shape and structure was historically built to keep out draughts and provide shelter and comfort to the sitter. In contrast, the decline in biodiversity resulting from ash dieback will mean many insects, fungi and birds will lose their place of safety, their place of shelter.

David Buchanan-Dunlop - Lyne Studio, Edinburgh

Steven Blench Ffion Blench - Chalk Plaster, Burntisland, Fife

Ash and scagliola

2024

The Killearn Side Tables seek to make a tangible connection between the ash timber and the land in Stirlingshire where the trees grew. Our collaboration has led us to explore different ways in which our respective materials, namely wood (Lyne Studio) and plaster (Chalk Plaster), can be connected in the making of furniture. Our design relies on under squinted scarf joints to link the timber and scagliola elements. These joints are more often used to ‘end to end’ join two pieces of the same type of material, e.g. wood, which will then move as one. To join two different materials in this way requires careful thought about how the two will interact with each other.

Scagliola is a late 16th century technique for imitating marble and semi-precious stones using gypsum plaster, pearl glue and natural pigments. The technique has a long history in furniture making but is usually confined to the production of table tops rather than structural elements or joints. Here the scagliola has been coloured with earth pigments gathered at Killearn where the ash trees were felled.

The collaboration has given us an opportunity to explore how two very different materials can be combined and to understand better our respective techniques, pushing our boundaries to create a piece neither of us would otherwise have made.

Angus Richardson

Edinburgh

2024

Ash and Danish cord

71cm x 56cm x 44cm

My approach to woodworking is influenced particularly by my time spent at the Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinetmaking in British Columbia and by the philosophy of the celebrated furniture maker, James Krenov (1920 – 2009).

Phoenix is an exercise in the orientation and manipulation of wood grain to enhance the shape of the component parts and the piece as a whole, and is used here to show a particular beauty of ash. This is complemented by a natural soap finish and a Danish cord woven seat, details which are popular in Scandinavian furniture making.

In the making of this piece, I used a bandsaw and planer/thicknesser in the initial milling of the rough timber which allowed me to create component parts of the desired dimensions and profiles. From there, I used super sharp hand tools to further shape those parts, to arrive at final surfaces and to make fine fitting joinery. By these processes, sanding has become unnecessary which has led to a less dusty and healthier working environment.

Richard Goldsworthy

Greenlaw, Scottish Borders

150cm x 200cm x 5cm

2024

Part charred ash

Past, Present and Future is composed of a collection of ash pieces, each crafted to highlight the intricate patterns and textures of the wood. The core of the installation features shallow bowls arranged in a rectangular shape. I have textured the inner parts of these bowls, creating a visual contrast with their smooth exteriors. Additionally, the edges of each piece are charred using a blowtorch, enhancing the contrast and emphasising the natural beauty of the grain.

The charring also creates a striking balance between light and dark, reminiscent of the interplay between growth and decay. This symbolism is important, as it highlights the impact that ash dieback will have not just on the trees but the British landscape and our environment as a whole. At the same time, the work celebrates the inherent beauty of ash and invites the observer to appreciate its artistry and history.

By combining these elements and evoking a sense of harmony and remembrance, I invite viewers to explore and connect with the intricate details of the installation.

Stevi Benson

Ballater, Aberdeenshire

2024

Hand-cut paper

87.5cm x 62cm x 3.5cm each

Time and Space comprises two hand-cut paper pieces. The inspiration behind the work is a wish to highlight the life of the ash tree prior to its felling and the space in the woodland at Killearn that it once occupied and filled. Through this work, I hope to provoke a sense of loss for the tree.

Time

Tree rings are fascinating. They are a book, a journal of years passed with stories of the weather the tree experienced over those years. They show how the tree grew and which way it bent to allow the surrounding trees to thrive alongside them. I am interested in how long the ash tree lived. I thought about the events that it had lived through; a slow, still yet once constant presence in a landscape while life hurried and bustled around it. The time spent in this world and experienced in a completely different way to how we humans do. Slow life.

Space

I visited the site at Killearn and stood on the stump of our felled ash tree. Looking up, I noticed the space in the tree canopy which the tree once occupied. I thought about all the holes opening up everywhere with the felling of ash trees, the empty spaces which will be left in our landscape. Space is a portrait of the other trees in Killearn which live on. Will they miss our ash tree? As part of its community, are they now mourning the loss of a friend? The space where our tree lived its life.

Rory Dowling

Caelin Harrington

Zachie Morris

Taran Guitars, Pittenweem, East Neuk of Fife

Nicholas Denney

Nicholas Denney Studio, Leven, Fife

2024

Ash and concrete

130cm x 40cm x 12cm

Through our collaboration, we have created an innovative electric guitar which celebrates the extraordinary capabilities of ash, particularly its strength, flexibility and ease of bending. We also sought to redefine the perception of concrete as a heavy and functional medium by showcasing Nicholas’ exceptional artistry and ability to deftly work with the material.

The patterned concrete element, both in the three-dimensional back and the polychromatic concrete face, echoes the form of the ash tree – utilising a concentric design with a fractal element. A dye created from charcoal made from the wood of one of the Killearn ash trees has been used to colour the polychromatic concrete.

Inspired by the strong yet flexible nature of ash, we used it as an excellent foundation for making a musical instrument. The ash runs through the guitar, forming the neck and creating ergonomic elements that outline the instrument’s form. The incorporation of concrete highlights the versatility of both materials and complements the known capabilities of ash, creating an instrument that is both a work of art and a tool for artistic expression. And as Concentric Harmony was designed and built to be a functioning guitar, we have invited Scottish composer Andrew Blair to write a piece of music inspired by Ash Rise.

Kirsty MacDonald

SK Furniture, Leven, Fife

Ash

180cm x 90cm

2024

Heilis is the Gaelic for helix, a curving, spiralling form. Its shape has inspired my shelving unit which is an experimental piece. I have used the natural edge of the wood and through the application of steam and heat, combined several layers of ash to produce a long linear curved intertwining structure which is then glued to hold its shape.

The piece is wholly made from the ash trees felled at Killearn. I selected planks specifically for their unique edges and grain. I always like to work in partnership with the wood and the aim of Heilis is to show the natural beauty of the wood, its ‘live edge’, which is so often removed and seen as waste but for me is the most interesting part of the tree. I believe all parts of the tree should be fully utilised and not wasted.

Jack Sheahan

Sheahan Made, Edinburgh

2024

Ash and osmo oil

75cm x 41cm x 48cm

This Caithness Chair was designed and built as a modern take on the unique vernacular chair form found in Caithness and Sutherland, in the far north of Scotland.

Most vernacular chairs from across Europe feature a solid wood seat, to which legs and a backrest are directly joined. Or they feature back legs which continue up and act as a backrest, to which a seat and front legs are added. The main structure of a traditional Caithness chair, however, is a continuous back and seat, to which legs and cross spindles are joined. This would have usually been made from a naturally angled piece of wood and, with clever material selection, it is possible to make a robust, comfortable chair from the wind-swept trees found in the area.

By contrast, it has been much easier to source flat, clear, straight-grained boards from the Killearn ash trees as opposed to wood with natural ‘elbows’, so I opted to steam bend the side rails into the required shape. With heat, moisture, and a lot of pressure, it is possible to compress the wood fibres and bend the wood (up to a point). The result is an elegant Caithness Chair which continues the long-established chair makers’ tradition of taking established forms and creating their own unique chair.

Helena Robson

HEFT STUDIO, Gifford, East Lothian

190cm x 250cm x 8cm

2024

Ash, rawhide and metal

Historically, ash was the material of choice in the making of farming tools prior to the introduction of man-made materials – its strength and flexibility utilised to work the earth. For me, that focus of material for function is interesting and I think often overlooked in modern aesthetics. I like that a material can and should dictate purpose and I feel we are less connected with this notion than previous generations.

I have made five tools: two rakes, two shovels and a threshing flail. Through making each tool, it is evident how their intended use determined their shape. The hay rake is the largest, its size allowing for maximum ground coverage to gather grass into windrows across a field to dry. By contrast, the smaller clod rake was used to prepare the ground for seeding, its thick strong tines breaking up the earth. Similarly with the shovels, the flat headed malt shovel was used specifically to turn germinating barley on the malting floor whereas the smaller, scoop headed shovel, often constructed from one solid piece of ash, was more versatile. The final tool is a flail, used to thresh corn, separating the grain from the straw – which was an extremely laborious process. The long ash staff, held in both hands, was raised above the head and swung forwards to bring the shorter beater rod down on the corn.

I find Agricultural Hand Tools sculptural. I enjoy the direct connection they have to people, place and community. I am also intrigued by who would originally have made these tools – was it the farmers themselves, travelling bodgers, or would they go to one particularly renowned maker?

Stephen Thompson

Edinburgh

2024

Ash, canvas and flax

510cm x 53cm x 34.5cm

The Kayak is a skin-on-frame, paddle-powered vessel. Historically kayaks were made with a wooden or bone frame covered in animal skin. Here the frame is constructed of ash using traditional joinery techniques with lashings made of flax thread. The ribs and coamings are also made of ash, steam bent to shape. The ‘skin’ is canvas that has been hand-stitched to the frame.

It is vital that when the kayak moves through water, it has flexibility to withstand the pressure of movement so no glue is used in its assembly which might otherwise crack and allow the joints to become loose.

The Kayak has an ancient lineage. It can be traced back over 4000 years to traditional water vessel building techniques of Greenland and the Aleutian Islands off Alaska. In Greenland, which is predominantly treeless, the frames were typically made using foraged driftwood or whalebone. Similarly, the coracle in Wales and Scotland, and the currach in Ireland, were commonly constructed from locally-sourced wood and animal hides.

Today’s kayak builders would likely use a range of woods with appropriate properties for each part of the boat. Making this kayak entirely from a single ash tree is experimental but honours the past kayak builders, their traditions and material culture.

Sam Cooper & Richard Platt

The Marchmont Workshop, Greenlaw, Scottish Borders

2024

Ash and common river rush

Desk: 140cm x 70cm x 75cm

Chair: 59cm x 50cm x 76cm

The Canopy Chair takes inspiration from the woodlands surrounding our workshop on the Marchmont estate in the Scottish Borders, much of which has been affected by ash dieback in recent years. Using green wood – wood that has not been dried – we utilise traditional techniques passed down through six generations of master to apprentice, but in innovative ways to create a more contemporary design.

The turned rear legs of the chair flow up into hand-carved winding branches emulating the ash tree and joining into a sweeping split crest, representing canopy ‘shyness’ – the phenomenon of leaves and branches of two adjacent trees never quite meeting. The crest wraps round the sitter, offering support above a hand-woven seat made from common river rush which we harvest each summer.

The chair pairs with The Tower Desk designed to highlight the simple beauty and colour variation of ash wood. It is built using traditional mortice and tenon joinery. The desk utilises the inherent strength of ash and features elegant tapering legs, a floating top and soft-close drawers with a subtle pull, curved on two axes using the technique of steam bending.

Alexander Johnston

Glasgow

2024

Ash

80cm x 94cm

Dieback comprises 12 ash columns repeatedly cut into parallel rows that have been partially split off. This process has revealed striking and beautiful patterns in the wood that offer a unique portrait of the tree from which it came.

Ash dieback is affecting native tree populations across the country and current estimates predict that up to 75% of Scotland’s ash trees will perish as a result. Each column, partially destroyed, encapsulates the impact of dieback on the species. The intricate patterns and textures revealed, however, serve as a reminder of the beauty and resilience of these trees. Through this work, I hope to raise awareness and inspire action to protect our forests and ensure the future survival of ash trees in our landscape.

Sam Chinnery

Sam Chinnery Furniture, Forres, Moray

135cm x 37cm x 47cm

2024

Ash

For me, ash is a timber to be used for living. It is a material that will wear well with time and use, so I was inspired to make a fairly simple, strong and lightweight bench for everyday life.

This bench was made from a single large board from one of the bigger and older ash trees felled at Killearn. As an ash tree ages, it develops a beautiful olive colouring at its heart which contrasts with the younger outer wood which is lighter in colour. In making this bench, I especially wanted to highlight and celebrate this hidden beauty that is unique to these fine old trees.

While contemporary in design, the bench is made very much using traditional joinery techniques with elements of design from my existing furniture. The seat of the bench is shaped by hand and supported on flared legs, jointed with wedged tenons and connected by a finely curved stretcher. This curved element also brings in the technique of steam bending which is new to me and which works particularly well with ash.

Rebecca Kaye

Ploterre, Edinburgh

2024

Ash, paper and ink

21cm x 42cm

Weatherings I, II and III are paper-based works where each ink mark reflects daily weather conditions from 1995 to 2022 to depict the grain pattern of an ash tree.

After researching the science behind tree growth and how tree rings are shaped by weather, I collated the daily rainfall and temperature data collected at a Met Office weather station located six miles from Killearn Home Farm, where the Ash Rise ash trees were felled. I then used the Met Office weather data to recreate the grain patterns of the trees by applying the same scientific logic as tree ring growth.

A total of 125,905 individual ink marks, representing each piece of data, have been made on the paper to create this work. If all the marks were placed on top of each other, the line would reach up 40 metres – the average height of a mature ash tree.

My practice revolves around a desire to acquire a deeper understanding of our environment. Through the use of mathematical data, I explore the natural world and share my findings in my artworks.

Kate Owens

Glasgow

2024

Repurposed cotton, ash bark dye, solvent-free ink, organic jute

and ash

100cm x 140cm

This work is inspired by an early block print called Log made by Phyllis Barron, a leading figure of the hand block printing revival in 1920s Britain. Barron designed Log using the grain of a beech log intended for the fire, as a repeating motif printed with natural dyes. In a similar spirit, I’ve sourced colour and pattern from the Killearn ash trees rescued by Ash Rise from their probable fate as firewood.

The warm base colour was extracted from the ash tree bark and print blocks were carved from the timber. The printed elements relate to movements made by ash bark beetles, falling timber, logging vehicles and arborists’ rope — a tangle of gestures and patterning radiating from the life and death of the tree.

My practice combines traditional textile techniques with choreography, testing a correlation between physical process and visual liveliness. Wooden print blocks are worn as make-shift shoes and motifs are walked across fabric using my body weight to transfer ink to the cloth. Vigorous natural dye processing contributes another layer of motion, giving the fabric a worked quality together with waves of colour.

Tom Cooper

Tom Cooper Fine Furniture, Dalkeith, Midlothian

Ash and Scottish walnut

2024

140cm x 70cm x 40cm

Drawing inspiration from the forms seen in the seeds and leaves of our beautiful Scottish ash trees, the Emergence cabinet seeks to symbolise a sense of ascension from the disease and decay caused by ash dieback.

Though many ash trees have succumbed to the dieback disease, they can still live on, their beauty enjoyed in the timber used to make fine bespoke pieces of furniture.

Emergence is constructed using a variety of furniture making techniques to which ash timber is ideally suited. These include innovative three dimensional curved veneer laminations as well as more traditional techniques such as hand-cut dovetails and mortice and tenon joints.

I designed Emergence as a drinks cabinet, though it could equally be used as an ornate display cabinet. Ultimately, it is a functioning work of art that brings the shapes and forms of the natural world into the home environment.

Nikita Wolfe Murray

Wolfe Studio, Penicuik, Midlothian

2024

Ash and brass

170cm x 55cm x 43cm

In|Organic, is a credenza (low-level sideboard) with sculptural flowing tendrils decorating the door fronts. The piece is a reflection that although humans love the beauty of nature, we are often unwilling to leave it untamed and unconstrained. The focal point is the sculpted tendrils (imagine flowing vines, with multiple strands separating and rejoining) travelling across the front, which have been created through a combination of steam bending and lamination.

The flowing organic lines sharply contrast with the shapes that make up the cabinetry: perfect squares and rectangles, the essence of man-made structures. The borders of each door intersects the tendrils and breaks up the flowing lines, reinforcing the idea of the natural world being organised and constrained by the forms of human development. The contrast between the natural and the unnatural is further heightened through the use of staining the wood to create new colourways.

Angus Ross

Angus Ross Ltd, Aberfeldy, Perthshire

2024

Ash

88cm x 57cm x 55cm

The Clova Chairs are comfortable, contemporary carver chairs. Some design elements such as the narrow back, curved arms and tapering seat are found in Scottish caquetoire or conversation chairs and can be traced back to the 16th century.

I set myself the challenge to use the ash as efficiently and effectively as possible. Remarkably, the design is rationalised into just four components, each beautifully crafted to utilise the special qualities of ash. One component (with three steam bends) integrates the front legs, the arms, and links the structure. A second component (sliced and steam bent into unique contrapuntal bends) integrates the backrest, the back leg and the understructure and is dovetailed into the front stretcher. The hand-sculpted seat dovetails into the back leg.

Steaming ash provides me with a sliver of time when the wood fibres are flexible and can be coaxed over a jig (a device that holds the wood in a particular shape) into complex bent forms. The bends in this chair are achieved by a team of four makers, choreographed to move in harmony, each coaxing the wood fibres at an expertly judged degree of speed, direction and pressure. The ash responds, achieving a beautiful stretching of possibility.

Duke Christie

Dallas, Moray

Scorched ash

41cm x 76cm x 40cm

32cm x 48cm x 31cm

36cm x 42cm x 35cm

2024

Drawing inspiration from the classic shape and form of ancient Greek amphorae, these contemporary hollow vessels transcend time. Provoking contemplation and questions about their nature and origin, could they be artefacts, or relics of the past?

The proportions and scale of each amphora was determined by the actual dimensions of the ash branch I crafted. Carved from green wood (the name given to unseasoned or undried wood), these hollow forms provide an opportunity to explore the natural beauty and drama of the ash tree’s grain. A celebration of imperfection and an exploration of texture, they embrace every aspect of the tree’s unique character

Naomi Mcintosh

Braemar, Aberdeenshire

2024

Ash and waxed linen

Potential reflects on the positive possibilities of regeneration and the opportunities of replacing diseased ash trees. In time, can the ash tree rise once again, through the power and potential of seed?

Potential is an installation comprising suspended sculptural columns made of slivers of bent ash. The work seeks to capture the forms and movement of ash seeds falling to the ground. The repeating, helicoptering forms suspended in time are inspired by the tree’s distinctive, delicate, wing-like seeds - ‘keys’ - dispersed by gravity and wind.

The work explores the extraordinary movement of the falling ash seed. Its curls of ash shift and change, as do the volumes, shapes, patterns and planes. The interplay of each sculptural column creates pockets of space, allowing light to be caught and shadows thrown.

Drawing and the language of line is the foundation to this work. The drawings were made using scientific research papers exploring the aerodynamics of free-falling ash seeds, alongside observing ash trees in nature. The sculptural columns of Potential are three-dimensional drawings; intangible and ephemeral observations of an ash tree captured in ash wood.