Speaking to Ben recently he tells us that alongside his regular commitments teaching chairmaking and other green woodworking skills, he has been working on some fun commissions in recent weeks. His highlights include a pair of bar stools out of some fabulous black ash he helped harvest a few years back; black ash is a species usually found in North America, but somehow a specimen had found its way to a back garden in West London, and Ben was fortunate to be able to get his hands on some in payment for helping mill it up after it succumbed to disease. It's spectacular stuff and the pieces he's been working on recently are no exception! You can see his beautiful work on @benwilliswoodcraft
Ben feels honoured to have been invited to work with the design firm Martin Hulbert Design to produce two pieces for the 'Wow House 2023' exhibition due to be held in Chelsea Harbour in June. This high-profile design expo features a purpose-built showhouse containing 17 full-size rooms, each created by a leading design practice. He'll be contributing two of his Welsh stick chairs for the room created by MHD, who he has been working with over the past couple of years.
Ben is looking forward to coming back up to Wernog Wood for his annual summer visit, especially to seeing the results of the new additional course he will be teaching here this year.
The first course Ben will teach is offers a choice of making live-edge benches or stools… and the second of his popular greenwood chairmaking week that we have been running since the early days of Wernog Wood.
If you would like to venture into the completely additive world of greenwood working, check out https://www.wernogwood.co.uk/wood
His live edge table, bench and stool making course is on 14-16th July and is perfect for complete beginners.
His greenwood chair making course starts just a day later on 17th July and runs to 21st or 22nd July depending on whether you would like to make a side chair (with no arms) or an arm chair. You will need some previous experience to make an armchair but if you fancy full immersion, why not come and make a stool first!