Green woodworking is my passion. In my case it is the process of turning a tree into a chair, almost entirely by hand. The result is the creation of “Wild Chairs”.
Totally self- taught, I make exclusive one-offs pieces, or one-off sets and thrive on commissions. I am proud to be a member of the Devon Guild of Craftsman and Bespoke Woodworkers. My work regularly appears in a variety of local and national publications.
I live and work in the beautiful Tamar Valley. My workshops are situated at the Old Mill, within the beautiful grounds of the National Trust’s Cotehele Estate St Dominick. Here you can come and see me work.
Without self-imposed restrictions of a daily routine, my days are as diverse and unique as the chairs I create. In the creative world however, it’s a good idea to decide a rough plan for the day, otherwise you might see an interesting off-cut of wood on the floor and start whittling it into a spoon or something. Focus!
I read once that ancient Japanese wood crafters would spend the first hour of their day meditatively honing their tools. I lack such discipline, although I do use some Japanese hand tools. I don’t use machinery, or have a radio on when I work.
The beauty and reward of using traditional hand tools on newly felled trees is the sound, smell and vision – the swish of the cut, the aroma of freshly worked green timber and the sumptuous curve of the grain. An ambience of contemplation, connection and creativity - it’s more a way of life than a job. It requires a degree of natural talent, a positive attitude and most importantly, love, passion and respect for wood, nature and how you work with it.
My materials are sourced locally from sustainable sources. It helps me understand and connect with the many other skilled trades in the woodland and wood processing Industry.
A chair must be well made, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. I endeavour to introduce movement in my work to simulate the tree from which the chair came. If you get it right, the tree will live on in another form, for a very long time.
I don’t analyse my work too much. I just do what I do. I try to induce inspiration and creativity to seek me out and then react intuitively.
Someone once wrote “In life, when you stop looking for something, you find it right there in front of you”.
Barry Mays
“Barry Mays’ Wild Chairs look completely natural in the Gallery - you don’t place them as you would do more traditional work, they place themselves. They become an integral part of the Gallery and seem to take root and grow wherever they are. Customers cannot help but touch them. Their gentle, yet powerful forms are so tactile they encourage it, offering a functional, beautiful place to sit for a while and watch the world go by”.
Sue Sturton – Director, The Brownston Gallery, Modbury.
