The large-scale mirror and console table embody our sculptural and playful approach to making. The work speaks to the future of craft through a dedication to using British timber and preserving of local materials, and looks to history by using joinery methods, carving techniques and finishes inspired by past master artisans both in the UK and West Africa.

The pieces have been created taking form from megalithic stones referred to as Menhirs – long stones placed upright in the ground often decorated with engravings or anthropomorphic features. Utilising these forms represents our desire to look inwards, sometimes towards ancient practices, to inspire a future vision.

We have chosen British Grown Ash and Douglas Fir and worked them in such a fashion as to refocus and maximise the value of these underutilised British timbers. These species were selected as a stark contrast to that of Thomas Chippendale who used and celebrated exotic timbers for their inherent value status and coveted aesthetic. The choice to use exotic timbers holds an implicit exploitative value that we have refuted through our choice of an often maligned softwood and a hardwood that is synonymous with British craft, but has a highly uncertain future due to dieback.

Underpinning Hendzel’s project is an acknowledgement of the complicated histories of wealth, trade and power of Harewood House, manifested in the physical embodiment of the building, collections and the exhibited works.

We have featured Douglas Fir as a central component in both pieces, cutting and rotating sections of wood to exclusively show the incredible patterns created by the lighter summer growth and darker winter growth present in the end-grain. This labour-intensive, but visually arresting feature speaks to the luxury and ornate qualities often found in the work of Chippendale and of the Georgian period more generally

Mixing the hand of the maker and the capabilities of CNC machining, we have explored how textures offer the viewer various points of dialogue, intrigue and depth. The large ash mirror has a hand carved texture using a v point gouge, which has been channelled out across the undulating surface, catching light and casting shadows through its intricate maze of valleys and overhangs. We have taken the common language of adding texture to a decorative surface and applied it to our methods and styles of working; whether that be Neolithic stone carving, the ornate work of Grinling Gibbons or the varied and foundational carving of previously enslaved lands.

Now in its third edition, The Harewood Biennial celebrates craft and elevates artisanal heritage connecting across generations and continents. Create/Elevate presents significant, and large scale works from 16 international contemporary artists, designers and craft collectives throughout Harewood House and Gardens in Leeds, Yorkshire.

Below are a selection of images from our SE London workshop of the team putting the finishing touches to the piece.

Jan using a percussion chisel to fine tune the hand carved texture on the mirror

Weighing in at 100+ kg it takes a few hands to mount the mirror.

The Gallions reach mirrors from our town hall collection was one of the initial inspirations behind this project