“Call it a negotiation, a conversation, a dialogue of sorts between Angus and wood. He asks more of it than most would dare, asks it to bend further, to colour deeper, to flex and join in ways that few would try. And the wood responds, this far, this deep, this thin. The result - a beautiful agreement, a stretching of possibility. Each piece is a long-worked agreement with nature, a handshake with wood”.
— Jon Plunkett
Angus’s journey
Angus gained a BSc in Industrial Design at Napier University, Edinburgh and went on to design injection moulded plastic products for Glaxo Smith Kline, Boots and Mothercare. After becoming disillusioned with designing for mass manufacture, and becoming concerned about the problem of plastic waste plastic, he retrained in furniture making at Rycotewood College, Oxford. This enabled him to simultaneously use his head and hands to create beautiful, useful things, that may even help the planet.
As a designer Angus is principally concerned with function to create joy. Aesthetically Angus is inspired by structure in engineering and architecture, and his work is characterised by elegant, pure flowing lines.
As a maker and craftsman Angus continues in the tradition of the Arts and Crafts Movement cabinet-making, and combines this with green wood steam-bending, and the latest design and cutting technology to create innovative furniture.
Angus loves sharing his knowledge and skills, and the studio sometimes offers apprenticeships and internships. He regularly gives talks on craft, design, and sustainable woodwork. He has been a Mentor for the Crafts Council and Advisor to Craft Scotland.
He is a Selected Maker for the Crafts Council and Homo Faber Guide.
Angus and Lorna
Angus and Lorna moved to Aberfeldy in Highland Perthshire in 2002 to establish his eponymous studio-workshop. They were quickly invited to be co-owners of a beautiful, local, bluebell wood.
Experimenting with this timber led to an innovative methods of bending, twisting, slicing and sculpting to create exquisite, expressive furniture and functional public art, imbued with this special landscape.
Lorna writes the newsletters, journal, website and communication.