Adrian McCurdy

Cleft Oak Seating

With green oak, cleft and adzed, this stool seat was made to purposely leave behind the feel of raw wood. The seat top has luxuriant comfort of shape and strength.

Cleft Oak Seating

Riven from local oak this bench is immensely strong yet graceful. A natural growth-shaped curve has both tactile comfort and interesting presence. Finished with wooden plane and spoke-shave.

Cleft Oak Seating

A more sculptural shape can sometimes be found when splitting a log, luckily here with a central sitting area. Legs are more a gentle bend. Seat dyed with Gall-ink.

Cleft Oak Seating

Variations are normal using this material. In response to the shapes and leg combinations each seat takes a life of its own. It's a mindful process of experimentation with patience.

Cleft Oak Seating

A big storm-damaged oak provided these robust exotic shapes, following the meandering tree growth. Lucky dips coincide with smoothed sitting positions, and other areas left riven 'raw'.

Cleft Oak Seating

Made from local riven oak throughout with carved legs. This timber conversion has uniform strength across its width for new designs … limited only by the stock of material collected.

Cleft Oak Seating

Reminiscent of moonlit walks passing shadows of hedge-trees. Three-piece cleft-oak seat construction with a carved back support piece. Suits a back-light setting.

Cleft Oak Seating

Showing the single-piece lattice carved back. The grain strength is reliable from the source of quarter riven oak. It's a lightweight structure with flowing lines and carefully placed crossing points.