Furniture Creator Adrian Swinstead
Furniture maker Adrian Swinstead has 25 years’ experience working with wood to produce mesmerising objects.
A labour of love, it can take up to a year to complete some of his bespoke pieces using a collection of specialised seasoned timber. And finding the raw material is only the beginning, he has to then transport it to his workshop, either carrying it on his shoulder or using a crane or truck, where it joins the rest of his collection of wood to season – a process which can take between three to four years.
The 60-year-old’s work requires not only dedication and patience but an incredible creative foresight. It is an investment for those looking for a true piece of organic art, the ultimate free form of craftsmanship that matures and gets better with time.
Adrian grew up in South Africa, where his parents worked against apartheid and had to leave in a hurry. They then lived in Uganda and after further unrest, eventually returned to London. It was here that Adrian studied Fine Art at Hornsey College of Art, followed by a postgraduate degree at the Slade School of Art at University College London.
On graduating, Adrian moved to Calcutta and Benares to study Indian classical percussion. He later returned to London, playing percussion for dancers and began to work with wood. ‘I have great memories of living in Tufnell Park, Kentish Town and Finsbury Park and for a couple of years moving around on the Grand Union Canal enjoying different areas and flavours of the city.’
When and why did your interest in furniture design start?
‘My interest in design has always been a part of my life but began to flower after moving from London to live in Wendover Woods in Buckinghamshire. Since then, I have held a growing awareness of the design possibilities of the shapes and textures in the surrounding beech trees.’
Why wood?
‘It can be, and do, so many things, which is why it has been used since man began to stand upright. I search for fallen trees and look for the unusual; signs of rippling, spalting, or textural beauty which I know will tell a story later on, once I start to work in my studio.’
How do you find the material?
‘Different ways. I found a stand of yew trees on the top of Aston Hill in Buckinghamshire, uprooted by the great storm of 1987. In France, a maple tree felled in a local vineyard was saved from becoming the centrepiece of a bonfire. I discovered and salvaged a sycamore tree which floated down a local river and got stuck at Bromham Mill in Bedfordshire. I pulled the tree from the river – this was the first stage in the making of a tabletop.’
Who do you admire?
‘The artist Andy Goldsworthy for his love of – and reactions to – the natural world. The sculptor David Nash for his work with trees, Aung San Suu Kyi, and anyone who works for the good of others.’
Who would you most like to make a bespoke piece for?
‘Anyone with the imagination to appreciate what the piece represents. I hope my furniture allows the wood to tell its own story.’
If you weren’t designing, what would you be doing?
‘I can’t imagine not designing, but if that happened I hope I’d do something that I haven’t yet thought of or experienced.’
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