the craftsman
Barry has been working wood for more than 40 years. Over that time his interest and repertoire as a craftsman has grown to span a broad spectrum.
Barry’s works involve considerable use of hand tools, and are often finished directly from the handplane. In the spirit passed to him by his friend and mentor, Rob Cosman, Barry embraces the tradition of “craftsmanship of risk” established by the best of the English craftsmen of the 18th century. During a piece’s preparation, the outcome is exclusively determined by the craftsman’s skill.
Barry’s passion for the subtle beauty of the natural materials he uses are clearly evident in his work.
Barry Chatwin
Primary influences:
Rob Cosman and the English craftsmen, Alan Peters and Edward Barnsley who have shared the tradition over the generations.
George Nakashima and James Krenov who imparted on the world their unconventional sensitivity to makers’ role relative to their materials.
Sam Maloof, a self-taught woodworker who brought beautiful furniture into our lives and opened his home and shop to anyone who dropped by.
Favourite wood related reading:
The Soul of a Tree: A Master Woodworkers’ Reflections
- George Nakashima
Sam Maloof, Woodworker
- Sam Maloof
A Cabinetmakers’ Notebook
- James Krenov
