Bronwen Coe artist

These mostly charred carved pieces come from a much loved local fallen Sweet Chestnut tree. These are the small pieces which I am posting here while working on some large pieces of the trunk that was characterised by the most amazing burrs. More will appear! 

During the Covid lockdowns I took to foraging on my daily walks and became intrigued and addicted to seeking out varieties of tree material: bark, twigs, miscellaneous pieces of wood, fruits and nuts. From a constantly varied and changing myriad of some 1001 potential specimens, my eye became acutely selective,  connecting a deeply felt, if unaccountable, resonance for each specimen that then filled my 'swag' bag.

Back in my workshop pieces were cleaned, sorted and  placed in different groupings.  My direction and challenge has been to let the wood find its particular expression. Engaging with some innate quality of chosen pieces, a dialogue develops whereby  they take on new life, form, and voice. They then speak for themselves.