Gary Allson designs and makes hand turned wooden bowls and plates. The work is made in his Cornwall studio using locally sourced sustainable timber: oak, beech, cherry and ash. Following traditional techniques the work focuses on elemental forms with natural surface finishes and a contemporary identity.
Gary Allson's work is inspired and informed by observations and insights of daily life within the Cornish landscape. Strong westerly gales blow in off the Atlantic sea to erode and shape rocks and plants alike, smoothing and bending them into rugged and beautiful shapes. The work best echoes the weathered Cornish landscape when the plates are stacked, forming layers of contrasting tones and timbers with a subtle changing full rounded edge.
The materials and techniques Gary Allson uses to create such tactile pieces are intentionally kept simple in order to maintain the emphasis on the idea, and reveal the honest beauty of the wood. Each piece is both functional and ornamental, and can be used for fruits nuts and chocolates.
MA Graduate of RCA, Gary assisted Anthony Gormley in the making of Angel of the North. Gary is a lecturer at University College Falmouth and continues to develop his digital work from his Cornwall studio.