Mark McClelland, Another man I'll never meet. After George Nakashima. (TABLES, CHAIRS & DESKS 2024)

Photos:

Cathy Drew/Mark McClelland

This work started with the slab, spotted in my friend Geoff Tonkin’s woodshed two years ago. A well-known chairmaker, Geoff intended it for Windsor chair seats, but for me it suggested the work of George Nakashima and lent itself to an interpretation of his benches. The entire piece is made from one claret ash tree from the NSW Central West. Rather than mix species, I pursued a monochromatic, pale palette. Even the wedges in the tenons on the legs are ash. This slab was so beautiful it transcended my aversion to the oft abused live edge. Design evolved from the slab, inspired by the spirit of George Nakashima. With a couple of loose sketches, I let feedback from the making inform the design. Much to my surprise, this way of working led to the incorporation of an additional live edge to the bottom of the comb rail, which conceptually seemed far too much but worked surprisingly well in practice. A widening of the rail on its right-hand end counterbalances a branching in the slab. The piece is not over finished. I have purposefully left toolmarks and imperfections, even insect damage to the wood, so it offers a range of tactile experiences. After hand planing and scraping, the slab and comb are lightly sanded. Backsticks are blade finished as facets, more rewarding to the touch than sanded to perfection. Please note: although the photos show the work outside, it is intended for indoor use, it was just too large to photograph inside (and I like seeing my works in the landscape before they settle inside). With thanks to Geoff Tonkin for guidance along the way.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.