Ash Rise Call Out

Scottish Furniture Makers Association, Scottish Forestry and Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers are delighted to join forces to present Ash Rise. A celebration of ash and its long history as an outstanding material, we invite SFMA members and makers, craftspeople, designers, artists, architects from across Scotland, to propose a design for an exceptional object made from Scottish ash.

Ash Rise

Open Call to makers, craftspeople, designers, artists, architects

Call Out to members of Scottish Furniture Makers Association

Scottish Furniture Makers Association, Scottish Forestry and Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers are delighted to join forces to present Ash Rise. A celebration of ash and its long history as an outstanding material, we invite SFMA members and makers, craftspeople, designers, artists, architects from across Scotland, to propose a design for an exceptional object made from Scottish ash.

An expert panel will select 20 proposals from the submissions received. Each will receive a fee and the seasoned ash they require to make their proposed work. The resulting furniture, functional objects and artworks will form a curated exhibition together with an education outreach programme which will tour Scotland in 2024 (venues to be confirmed).

Ash Rise is funded by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund and Scottish Forestry.

Background

Ash is one of our most versatile woods. When dried it is light, flexible and strong and does not easily splinter. For centuries, it was crafted into longbows, wooden handles for tools, agricultural implements and wheels for carts; and before the invention of man-made materials, it was used to make tennis rackets, hockey sticks and cricket bats. Today ash continues to be used for the internal frame of the famous Morgan sports car. As well as its practical qualities, its distinctive grain makes ash an ideal wood for furniture and objects such as spoons, bowls, candlesticks and caskets.

Today though many of Scotland’s ash trees are blighted by ash dieback caused by the fungus, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. This causes leaf loss and many hundreds of ash trees have perished or felled in the hope to stop the spread of the disease. You can read more about ash dieback on Scottish Forestry’s website.

In looking to raise public awareness of the devasting effects of ash dieback, Scottish Furniture Makers Association have initiated Ash Rise to celebrate this spectacular tree, highlight its brilliance as material and the creative skills of Scotland’s many outstanding makers and artists.

Last year, SFMA felled a number of trees affected by ash dieback at Killearn Estate Woodlands in Lanarkshire. These trees have since been milled and are currently seasoning at Scottish Wood near Dunfermline. This ash is to be used for the exhibition pieces and will be made available to those selected to exhibit in Ash Rise.

How to apply?

Ash Rise has two strands: a Call Out to SFMA members and Open Call to makers, craftspeople, designers, artists, architects from across Scotland.

Open Call to makers, craftspeople, designers, artists, architects from across Scotland.

We invite proposals from makers, craftspeople, designers, artists & architects either working collaboratively or as individuals who are based in Scotland. We are looking for contemporary, adventurous and innovative design or artwork proposals, other than furniture, that illustrate the versatility and beauty of ash. It could be a design for a bowl, a spoon, a musical instrument, a drawing made with charcoal made from ash or textiles printed with dye made from ash bark or other creative idea which features ash as a key element. Ultimately, we’re looking for applicants to stretch their imagination! The 10 selected makers will receive a bursary of £500.00 and the ash they require to bring to make their design to fruition.

Eligibility:

• One entry per individual / collaboration.
• Entrants must be over 18 years and be based in Scotland.

Call Out to SFMA members.

We invite design proposals for a piece of furniture which not only shows the beauty and versatility of ash but your making and crafting skills. The 10 selected proposals will receive a bursary of £1000.00 and the ash they require to bring their design to fruition.

Eligibility:

• Entrants must be current members of SFMA.
• One entry per individual / collaboration.
• Entrants must be over 18 years and be based in Scotland.

Non-members can submit furniture designs but would need to become a SFMA member if selected. Head to SFMA website to find out what membership offers to makers and designers from across Scotland.

Please submit the following for both Open Call and SFMA Call Out

1. Two hand-drawn or digital sketches of your proposed idea with approximate dimensions.
2. A short written text (no more than 500 words), a graphic document, short voice recording or video (no more than 3 minutes) outlining the ideas & influences behind your design.
3. A short bio (no more than 250 words), a graphic document, short voice recording or video (no more than 2 minutes) telling us who you are, what you do and 4 images (max) outlining your work to date.

Deadline for submission of proposals is 12 midnight Monday 5th June 2023.

Written proposals should be sent as a PDF. Audio recordings should be sent as an mp3 file and videos as mp4 and sent using Dropbox or similar. Please email your proposal to submissions@scottishfurnituremakers.org.uk

If you have any queries or would like to find out more about becoming an SFMA member, please contact Tom Addy, who is leading Ash Rise on info@scottishfurnituremakers.org.uk.

What happens next?

June 2023 - the selection panel comprising Stephen Jackson, Senior Curator, Furniture and Woodwork, National Museums Scotland; Christina Jansen, Managing Director, Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh; David Jones, Lecturer in Furniture History (retd), University of St Andrews will assess all the submissions. The panel will be chaired by Tom Addy, SFMA member, founder of Tor Workshop and Ash Rise director along with Susanna Beaumont Ash Rise, creative producer.

July 2023 - the 20 selected individuals and collaborations will be announced. Each selected SFMA submission and Open Call submission will receive 50% of their fee and the maker(s) will be asked to work up their design proposal.

September 2023 - the 20 selected individuals or collaborations will be invited to share their worked-up design proposals with the panel via Zoom. If the proposals have been sufficiently developed, the final fee instalment will be paid.

Late 2023 / early 2024 - All those selected will be invited to Scottish Woods, near Dunfermline to select the ash they require. We are proposing this will take place over a weekend when the wood is seasoned and dried ready for use. The collection date(s) will be confirmed in due course.

June 2024 - completion of works and announcement of Ash Rise touring exhibition which is planned to take place at venues across Scotland in the second half of 2024.

Further information and links

Association of Scottish Furniture Makers is a membership body which promotes and supports independent furniture makers from across Scotland celebrating their art, craft and creativity. Founded in 2001, SFMA showcases the outstanding beauty of furniture being designed and made in Scotland today.

Scottish Forestry is the Scottish Government agency responsible for forestry policy, support and regulation. They are a progressive agency passionate about the crucial role trees play in tackling climate change and nature loss, supporting the economy and the people of Scotland’s wellbeing.

Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers is a cooperative of small and medium sized businesses, supplying Scottish hardwood and softwood timber products across the UK, and brings together oak framers, tree surgeons, architects, furniture makers, farmers, land owners and other industries involved to some degree or another within the Scottish Timber industry.

The following books may be of interest:

The Man who Made Things out of Trees by Robert Penn, Penguin 2015. An engaging account of Penn’s felling of a single ash tree and all that he fashioned out of it.

Ash by Archie Miles, Pearson Bank Books 2018. An illuminating look at ash, its history and current practitioners who work with ash.

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/ash/