Ruth Mae: Wooden Vessels

5 - 29 April 2019

Ruth Mae: Wooden Vessels

Ruth Mae turns delicate and sculptural vessels using hardwoods that have been sourced locally on Arran or mainland Scotland. She works mainly with holly and cherry, although she uses other timbers such as ash and sycamore for more functional bowls. Most of her material comes from windblown timber destined for landfill or firewood.

The line and form of the bowl or vessel is her main focus when designing and she always aims for clarity, simplicity and gracefulness. She is inspired by objects which evoke a sense of stillness and intends to bring this feeling to many of her objects. The fragile yet strong, sometimes porcelain-like appearance and texture, as well as the blue grey hues of sea and rocks prevalent in her coastal environment are also often reflected in the vessels.

Mae has been crafting bowls and vessels for almost 18 years, although mainly self-taught she worked for a number of years as an architectural woodturner.