Alan Meredith

Alan Meredith’s wood vessels are a journey in revealing the inherent properties of the wood he sources while finding the best possible form for each individual piece. His latest body of work is an expression of his values as a maker and his love of oak and its potential as a material. 

These sculptural works are made from locally sourced Irish Oak which has exceptional qualities, longevity, strength and character. He often works in series, allowing him to develop his ideas and refine his process. Alan starts with solid, unseasoned green oak, which is lathe turned and then steamed. Once steamed, the strong oak becomes malleable and creates a dialogue between hand and material. This process allows a once solid material to become flexible- transformed into something new and exciting. His final intention is to create resilient forms that reveal the qualities and strengths of the oak.

His wood vessels display simple elegance, gently folded at one to two different points to create a wrapped effect. And yet the process for achieving the form requires extensive technical expertise and vast knowledge of the way wood reacts to different processes. Their restrained forms belie the complex set of processes used to create them.