Info
Ireland held a resident over five days from 28th March to 1st April 2022, at the Glenn Lucas Woodturning Study Centre. Nine Craftspeople from Europe came to south Carlow to collaborate on this project. They started the week with a plank of wood and a log. Nine openings were created in the plank, then nine pieces created collaboratively to fill each opening.
Craft professionals from Germany, Greece, Portugal, UK, and Belgium descended on South County Carlow last week for the an International Craft Hub Residency hosted by Carlow County Council and Glenn Lucas as part of the Creative Europe Craft Hub Project. The residency aimed to build skills and knowledge in the Wood Craft industry and encourage participants to work as a team to demonstrate many skills in woodturning, decoration, surface treatment, colouring and much more. The residency participants were invited to work together to help develop collaborative work and extend their practice and thinking.
Speaking about the residency, Glenn Lucas said “it was an inspirational week for all involved. The participants are used to working in a studio on their own. In my workshop they were invited to share ideas, communicate and plan with eight other people make a completely original piece. Over the course of a week, everyone showed each other different skills they had mastered and asked others to literally put their mark on their pieces. A rich visual library of images of technique was gathered and is now stored in the CraftHub library and this will be a useful resource for others who wish to understand more about wood craft and technique.”
Carlow County Council’s Head of Economic Development & Enterprise said “These residencies are a capacity building opportunity for existing and future craft practitioners to support new professional opportunities, stimulate the creation of new works, increase and interconnect knowledge on craft making skills and we are delighted to be part of this creative activity and to work with Glenn and Cornelia on creating this opportunity”. He continued by saying “The concept behind the residency was push the boundaries of Craft making processes through new experimental ways of making and the group really embraced this in Ireland in order to create their collaborative exhibition piece from Irish Native Wood”.
Using Irish native wood offers several advantages. Firstly, it promotes sustainability by reducing the need for importing wood from distant regions, which helps conserve local forests and minimize carbon emissions associated with transportation. Secondly, it holds cultural significance, as woods like oak, ash, and yew have deep roots in Irish heritage, adding cultural value to items made from them. Additionally, native woods often boast unique aesthetics, with distinctive grain patterns and colors, enhancing the visual appeal of products crafted from them.
Moreover, Irish native wood is known for its quality and durability, making it suitable for various applications such as furniture and construction. Supporting local woodworkers who utilize native wood can stimulate the local economy and encourage sustainable business practices. Lastly, working with these woods fosters a profound connection to nature, allowing individuals to appreciate and engage with their local ecosystems and the rich biodiversity they support.
In summary, choosing Irish native wood offers environmental, cultural, and economic benefits while also providing unique aesthetic qualities and a deeper connection to the natural world.
