Tom is a self-taught artist from the Nottinghamshire countryside who makes handmade wooden sculptures that are inspired by nature using the natural characteristics of a wide range of responsibly sourced hardwoods.
In 2014 Tom’s work made it to the final round of judging in the David Shepherd Wildlife Trust Wildlife Artist of the Year and was included in the competition catalogue.
His work has also been featured in Craft & Design Magazine and on Nottinghamshire TV where he was interviewed live on the 6:30 Show.
The technique Tom uses is called “intarsia”, which involves using pieces of wood of different size, shape and species which are stuck together to create something similar to a mosaic with an illusion of depth.
The different pieces of wood are carefully selected for their colour, grain pattern and texture so that there is no need for paint or stain. All of the colours you see are the natural colours of the woods.
After carefully selecting the woods, each individual piece is cut, shaped and finished with white polish both to protect the wood and enhance the natural characteristics. Areas of the pattern are raised or lowered to create more depth.
The final part of the process for Tom is to glue all the individual pieces together; a bit like a jigsaw.
We are delighted to be showcasing Tom’s work as part of our The Way Through The Woods Exhibition, Summer 2015. His work is stunning and he is such a perfectionist with every piece thought through from design to completion with precision.

Tom and myself with a selection of his amazing work at the launch of our Summer 2015 Exhibition The Way Through The Woods, 16th July 2015
Here are some of Tom’s videos shot whilst making his large Barn Owl feather you can see on the Heart Gallery wall behind us and I know you will find them really interesting: