Martin Damen

I am a traditional green woodworker and live in Great Bourton, north of Banbury, Oxfordshire. I started traditional woodworking, or greenwood working, while at university as a mature student in Aberystwyth during 2000. Initially, I focused on making rustic furniture and field items such as ash hurdle gates. Although I still turn items on a traditional pole lathe, I have focused more recently on carving bowls, platters and spoons. To me it is essential that the items I produce are functional. My aim is to produce something that is useful and a pleasure to look at, handle and use everyday. In doing so, I endeavour to utilise the natural characteristics and features of the wood. I use native British timbers including ash, beech, sycamore, lime, field maple and fruitwoods, such as cherry or damson that have been locally sourced. Once I get the timber "in the round" to the workshop only a limited set of handtools are needed to produce items; wedges, gluts and froe to split the wood; carving axe and adze to roughly shape the items and carving chisels and knives for final shaping and finishing. If further finishing is required cabinet scrapers are used and items are sealed using linseed oil or wax polish.