Omega

In his first solo show at Flow Gallery, Greg Kent presents his ‘lace’ oak sculptures, which capture the dichotomy of nature’s fragility and strength. His unique technique for turning and sandblasting oak reveals the organic patterns of the oak’s growth.

Omega – the end of the line, and a transition to something new.

Greg Kent on this exhibition:

For me, wood and trees are a fundamental part of our existence. They have sustained us in so many ways including: fire, building materials, tools, water storage, furniture and paper. Crucially, they provide us with oxygen and remove carbon from the atmosphere. Woodturning provides an opportunity to give wood another existence rather than being turned into firewood.

Turning wood is like uncovering buried treasure as the wood reveals its history, and its struggles. This is manifest in the growth rings, grain patterns and colours.  I am interested in the beauty of the wood and by working with wood I want to tell its story and use it to explore narratives. By sandblasting oak I am able to fully reveal the tree's structure and highlight its strength and fragility. This is crucial because we need to engage with nature's fragility and strength if we are to forge a sustainable future. The Omega exhibition represents a major turning point in my craft journey as I start to explore and make the most of the opportunities offered to me as a result of my QEST Scholarship.

I work hard to collect wood from local tree surgeons that would have been used as fire wood.  The wood is then 'turned green', this means whilst it is still wet. The wood is turned to a thickness of 2mm and allowed to dry. When dry the wood is sandblasted. This has the effect of removing the soft spring growth leaving a lace like effect. This can only be done with oak which has medullary rays which go across the growth rings. This involves combining both wood turning and sculpting. What is produced, in my view, is fine art created by nature, and revealed by a craftsman.

View the Show Online