Chasing the grain
Thomas Barlow is drawn towards figurative, flowing sculpture. A regular sketch artist, Thomas has over 500 sketches on file for when the right piece of wood comes along. He has been introduced to wood materials from all over the country, but tends to select wood that has real serious character and those tend to be fruit trees or hardwood. He enjoys working with apricot and walnut as they both resist cracking and provide a better finish.
Thomas’s process is to let the piece speak to him – the sketches don’t necessarily dictate the form, but follow the form and inspire the lines. As he carves, he searches for grain features in the wood to keep and incorporate into the final sculpture. “Wood carving, out of all of sculpture, is more meditative,” he says, “I’m always thinking to myself: I have to make the lines make sense.”
Thomas has created a wide range of wood sculpture, including the abstract and the imaginative, from lyrical figures and animals caught in action to organic shapes. His versatility, amid both commercial home décor and art, makes his work highly anticipated and valuable to interior designers and art collectors alike.
Interested in commissioning a custom wood sculpture or purchasing one of the above wood sculptures for sale?