web site: www.craftmaker.co.uk/susanrevans
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Statement
Decorated wood is my main concern, whether it is a toy, tells a visual story, a sculpture, moves or doesn’t move. I like making interesting and quirky pieces, which appeal to me and hopefully, to the observer. They are mainly intended for adults but it's a bonus if children like them too.
My work is a fusion of many interests and influences, including a passion for wood, a love of the sea, folk and Bible stories and all natural things, particularly birds and fish. I get much inspiration from Folk Art of all countries and medieval stone and woodcarvings. Travelling in Yemen and Nepal has also provided me with much inspiration from the architecture, colour and carvings found in these magical countries.
Since I was a small child I have had a passion for the feel and smell of wood. My first recollection for the feel of wood is cutting holes in my mother's table drawer as a three year old. Needless to say, my mother was not very happy! I was intrigued by watching my father, a hunting man, make duck and pigeon decoys out of small pieces of wood and scraps of lino and carefully painting them. I loved to join in, helping to paint the eyes and the feathers.
After training as a teacher of History, I was appointed to my first job in Grimsby on the East coast. Not being very affluent but faced with a desire to give departing French colleagues mementoes to take home, I collected pieces of driftwood from the beach and made them into personal gifts. These proved to be very popular and thus began my interest and passion for making “toys” out of wood and found pieces.
I use all kinds of wood, much of it recycled and driftwood. I love the individuality and uniqueness of each piece of driftwood, which, if it could talk, would have its own story to tell. I try to make many of my pieces interesting by including simple movement. The mechanisms I use are mainly cranks, cams and levers. If the pieces are non-moving, I usually mount them onto interesting selections of hardwood such as elm, oak and poplar burrs. All my carvings are done in air-dried lime. I use acrylic paint, washes and coloured inks and seal with a matt, water based varnish or wax polish.
I see my toy making as a continuous developing investigation into the thrill of creating new pieces.