“Every piece I create continues the life and story of the tree from which it’s made”

Introduction

Bobby Mills is a designer and craftsman who is developing a deep connection the trees of the British landscape.

Mills understands his work to be a collaboration with nature as he directly responds to the fundamental grain structures and character of each piece of wood he works with. He is guided by both the wood hand as he reads and explores the centuries of growth in an attempt to unearth what the wood wants to be; a bench perhaps, or a delicately carved vessel.

Mills’ objects explore the relationships that exist between human-centred design and nature-centred design as he seeks to celebrate the inherent natural beauty, complexity, and unique qualities of each piece of wood he works.

The Wood

Trees are at the center of Mills’ practice and his appreciation for them began at an early age as he played around old oaks in his childhood. His first school held a majestic English oak as it’s emblem and these trees have been a daily presense in his life since. As it is of the British culture and landscape, oak forms the heartland of Mills’ creative landscape. Other prized species such as rare English Walnut also feature when found. Relying on those who work closely with the British landscape he turns to farmers, conservation workers and arborists to source much of his wood. Mills will travel to windblown or dead trees and begin the process of creating furniture and objects from the place where the tree stood. With a mobile saw mill Mills is able to work closely with the tree in front of him, and with freedom whilst connecting with the surroundings of the tree.

Each tree is deeply rooted in its landscape and the specific location of each tree will have a continuous bearing on how it grows. The ebb and flow of the seasons load trees with nuance and character as they stand and grow for many centuries. Local winds, regional rainfall and the lay of the land will influence how an oak grows and each will be entirely different from the next. From this starting point Mills seeks to unearth objects from within the tree to continue its story.

Process and Design

Selftaught, Mills, has no formal training in woodworking. Unhampered by technical processes and influence he is free to explore his materials and processes with an open, learnt-by-doing, approach. Working from his studio, 650 ft above sea level on the hills of North Devon, Mills uses a small selection of traditional hand tools blended with some modern techniques and a woodworking lathe to create all of his works. His work displays precision craftsmanship as he gives every piece the time it requires to complete before moving onto the next. His designs calm designs are reached with a desire to find natural sculptural forms in everyday objects whilst utilising the inherent strengths within the wood to achieve a light aesthetic.

Time is necessary in Mills’ practice, from the sourcing and gathering of materials, to the psychical making of an object. A tree that Mills has sawn will require many years of careful drying before it enters the studio to be worked. The time invested in the making of these objects is evident in the unique character and high quality of the timber chosen by Mills to create an object of heirloom quality.

Each design is a one-off and often made without referencing any plans or drawings. On occasion and at client requests Mills will produce rough sketches of his intention and vision.

Every piece displays Mills’ hand-carved signature and date of creation on the underside.