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I am Kevin Longstaff and welcome to my website. This is a new venture driven by my passion for working with
wood and exploiting the best of it's natural form.
The items on our website are our own creation and, where available, for sale either
directly from us, through galleries and exhibitions or from the stalls we run from time to time that are shown on our
news page. The site is aimed at showing you what we do and why we do it.
If something you like is shown but not available then we can make it. If there is something that is a variant (size, shape, wood type)
we can make it to your specification or create something entirely different - just write, call, email or join us on
facebook.
In your exploration of this site you will discover the range of pieces that I have made and I would welcome commissions to your specific
requirement. In the other projects section I have included some of the wide range of commisions undertaken.
I have now included some details about my hobby
project which like my sculpted yachts below combines wood and sailing but in a more practical application. We now own a beautiful wooden
skaffie lugger called Gratitude which I hope will provide hours of wonderful sailing but also help develop my real boat building skills. With my wood sculpting experience I can
probably manage most repairs but it is things like dealing with copper nails and rovings that will extend my skills.
I am very flexible in the sources of wood that I use but my main philosophy is to enhance the natural grain and maximize the use of all aspects of the wood. Even the flaws in wood can be turned into a feature such as the rotten knot removed from the Cherry board shown. Each piece of wood provides the exciting challenge of how best to exploit it’s good and bad features to create the finished item. This is a list of some of the sources of wood used :-
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Local seasoned Hardwoods |
Sculpting wood in it's various forms holds an on going fascination. I enjoy the challenges of how best to use the
different types of wood and how to engineer their assembly. My stylized wooden yachts
have been very popular form of my sculpting and started as a consequence of combined passions for woodwork and sailing. You will find a selection of the Windward yachts
on display for sale at a number of galleries and occasional exhibitions.Cutting boards, platters and planks have been in great demand from family and friends made with seasoned hardwood and simply oiled for protection.
Another exciting technique for shaping wood is turning. I purchased a lathe a few years ago and have had great fun experimenting with this wonderful piece of machinery. I have used it to make tools, tool handles and simple ornaments but not yet ventured into bowl turning.
I have drawn and painted for many years and decided that I could make the frames
to exactly my design and at a reasonable price. This is an ideal way of using recycled wood particularly if it has significant
personal value and can be transformed into a frame for a favourite painting or photograph. Sensitive transformation of
wooden memorabilia into more useful and practical items is a great way of retaining that memory.| Don't see anything that appeals but would like something created to your own specification then please contact me and we can discuss your requirements. |