Yakisugi Bowl from Ash 

Size - D 32cm x H 11.5cm 

Finish - Tung Oil and Waxes 

A simple and graphic form with a delicate lip. Some really beautiful wavy grain and a light ripple.

The thin lip detail was an experiment which I didn’t know was going to work. This element adds an huge amount of jeopardy when it comes to the yakisugi treatment as it can easily be over-burnt if the flame is left for a fraction of a second too long. I’m not sure if I’ll make too many of these, but I was delighted with the outcome. 

Treated with a food safe product so could be used for fruit or a decorative table centrepiece.  

Sourced from a 90 year old tree that had to be felled last year in our woodland. Unfortunately we have had a lot of problems with ‘ash dieback’ a disease which ash trees get. 

I’m really trying to make the most of this ash wood while we still have it. As such I’ve continued working on these yakisugi pieces and they have come to be a bit of an obsession, really fueling my creative expression. 

‘Yakisugi’ is a Japanese method of wood preservation using fire, dating back to the 18th Century and often used to treat the external wooden cladding of a building. 

Here I’m using Ash which has an open grain structure and the rapid springtime growth is far less dense than the later summer growth. This burns more easily and so when brushed down creates a beautiful texture all over the surface. 

After scorching, the pieces are meticulously burnished using a stiff brush, removing loose char and bringing the surface to a slight polish. 

 All pieces are stamped with my makers mark, a very subtle ‘H’ on the underside so as to not detract from the beauty of the object. 

- Tung Oil comes from a nut so please be aware if you have a nut allergy. 

- do not let fruit rot on the piece

- hand wash / wipe down only