Featured Artists

Long standing SEOS member, Crafter and Furniture Maker Tim Constable shares some of his Open Studios experience.

What is your practice?
My practice is that of a cabinet/furniture maker and designer.

What is your training and back ground? Have you always been a maker?
I served a five-year apprenticeship with Arnold Dolmetsch Ltd, as a harpsichord/cabinet maker from the age of 16. I have been a maker all my working life. The Dolmetsch Workshops were run on the Arts and Crafts tradition of William Morris/ this influence informs my approach as a maker today.

How long have you been participating in Open Studios? What was your first impression? And why did you join?
I have taken part in all the Open Studios – fifteen years. It seemed marvelous to be welcomed into a group where local craftwork seemed to have relevance. The idea of an event of this nature being held in Kent at last was wonderful, with other counties already holding their own Open Studios. To join such a group was a boon to raising the profile of my work on my own territory, enabling visitors and prospective customers to Gain an insight into the techniques, skills and materials used to produce my work. In this it differs from crafts fairs, where it is difficult to convey this and can be expensive to take part.

What has your experience of SEOS been?
My experience from a commercial point of view has been that SEOS has been the most beneficial of the events in which I have taken part. As in all things, the more one puts in the more one gets back. IN the early years, when the scale of operations was smaller, I served as a Committee Member for three years, including the role of Publicity Officer. The web site was being developed at the time. My role included gathering publicity statements from participants and getting information to various newspapers across Kent. At Seal Chart we had a visit from Radio Kent when two exhibitors and I were interviewed. Technology has evolved to a greater degree now – definitely not my comfort zone – I prefer to work with wood! Interestingly, visitors seem to be better informed than in the early years think the worst comment I had was “I can buy cheaper furniture at Ikea!” Thankfully this kind of remark doesn’t seem to happen these days.

How was SEOS 2011 for you?
SEOS 2011 presented new challenges. I wondered if, during the recession we would have any visitors. In the event, I had about 400, compared with roughly 350 in recent years. Again, due to recession, this did not translate into extra orders/purchases, although the level of awareness of what is produced locally and the thinking behind the work has again raised. Normally I produce a new piece for each year’s Open Studios but this year it was just not possible – despite the years of previous experience, the timber for the prospective project was not satisfactory – hence this was abandoned.

What are your expectations for participating in next year’s event? How do you set about achieving these for yourself?
It is more likely that 2012 will bring challenges similar to those of 2011 in the current economic climate. I believe it is important to build on past experience, and produce original pieces but adhering to the same standards. I don’t believe that hand craftwork can be made cheaply, but thought needs to be given to what I can make at a reasonable cost, but is both pleasing to the eye and practical.

You are a strong advocate for craft within our membership and our profile; how we recruit and advertise for example. What would you say to fellow makers, to encourage them to apply and participate?
Open Studio is a very good opportunity to show your work and the way it is produced. With craft work especially, it gives the public an insight into the skills/methods used and the thought processes behind the work. With fewer people actively participating in craft work, we need a higher profile to show what we can do. Many forms of advertising are prohibitively expensive compared to the cost of taking part in Open Studios, the cost of which is manageable for most. I have found the majority of visitors to be very interested and positive about this event, and subsequently visit in following years. This of course can lead to commissions.

What advice would you give a new SEOS member thinking of what they can do to maximize their participation?
There are a number of ways that can be helpful when first taking part. Among these are to make sure your workshop/studio is open at the times you have stated. It is not professional to not be open at the specified times. Do your best to make the workspace as tidy and welcoming as possible, and be welcoming to your visitors. Speak to others who have participated in the past and are willing to share their experiences, and make sure your visitors feel your enthusiasm for what you do. A visitor’s book is helpful especially if there is a column for comments.

What are you currently working on, what will we see next June?
Currently I am working on an Art Deco style cabinet in a sycamore and massau birch to commission. Once this is completed hopefully I shall be able to switch gear to nest year’s piece – a case of wait and see! (or better come and see!)

You have a variety of products you offer, what can you observe that sells well? Or your visitors respond well to?
It is difficult to generalize as to what sells as it varies from year to year. I have sold small items such as pencil holders, mobile phone rest and door wedges which have been bought as Christmas gifts. ON another scale I have sold music stands, chess board and pieces, a side table and occasional tables, cabinets and a blanket chest form Open Studios.

You offer a commission service; can you tell us briefly what this entails?
Working to commission gives the customer the opportunity to have a piece made in any given timber/size to fit a specific space, and appropriate for their home, as opposed to a ready-made item which may be a compromise. Having discussed what a customer has in mind, I would advise what can be done with various timbers and design for their proposed piece. Once approved, a timescale is given and I ask for a deposit for materials. The customer may visit while their piece is being made and this can be useful at times as minor modifications can be made as sometimes improvements to design present themselves.

What are the benefits and pitfalls of working to commission?
The benefits of working to commission are that you are able to communicate ideas with the customer, bounce ideas, and know who you are designing for. Restrictions placed by a customer may include size, budget, timber used etc, but this can be useful constraint. On the downside I may sometimes feel that other ideas may work better – but the customer will be living with the piece. Generally speaking I prefer to work in this way as opposed to having work in a gallery, as a customer can well be a distant, anonymous person, whom I never meet or discuss an idea with.

What else do you do to take your work to your audience/buyers?
I have taken part in crafts fairs in the past, but have found that, due to the nature of my work, Open Studios works better. I have however taken part in Furniture Exhibition at Scotney Castle, which was quite successful. Some years ago I took part in an exhibition of the work of 70 furniture makers, held in Cheltenham. This was successful as a promotional event for me as I was awarded a Guild Mark Award from the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers.

When and where can we see more of your work? (list any galleries/shows/events you are participating in, websites, blogs etc..)
Currently my website is being further developed. Hopefully I will have work on display at Scotney again next year.

What inspires you?
A board of timber such as a beautiful piece of quarter-sawn English oak – the grain! The smell!! It’s really special… or the wonderful piece of bubinga veneer I saw in the timber merchants last week… with a pattern of waves.

How do you keep yourself fresh and your skills updated?
I try to keep abreast of what is going on in the woodworking world, by reading specialist woodworking/craft publications. Also I like to visit what has gone before and develop new ideas with these influences. I am aware that large amounts of furniture on the mass market are produced using highly complex computer controlled machinery, which holds little interest for me. I tend to see myself as one who uses traditional techniques and hand tools, apart from basic woodworking machinery, where I have a fair amount of control over the end result. I still enjoy cutting dovetails by hand, as I feel the minor variations this produces gives them life. I take a similar view to my finishing processes, which I feel add character to the surface of the piece. I find electric sanding machines can be quick and labour-saving, but the end result does not compare favorably to the hand finish.

Favourite historical artist/maker?
Various members of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Unfortunately it was not normal practice historically for makers of furniture to sign their work – most working in a “factory” system. It was usually the designer who took the credit.

Favourite living artist/maker? Least favourite?
I don’t have a favourite living maker – but of the modern makers, both unfortunately now deceased – Alan Peters and James Krenov. It seems to me that both have been inspirational in their deep understanding of the woods they used, which was reflected, in the superb designs and construction of their pieces. The least favourite is anyone who chooses to create items of shoddy workmanship, with no regard for the materials or durability of the piece.