Introduction
Our spring newsletter looks at the ‘Luxury of Nature’. From the raw beauty of nature combined with the elements, to the creation of organic, powerful artworks and finishes, we concentrate on two parallel talents of a sculptor and an artist painter, who bring their rare skills to luxury interiors.
Nic Webb’s work is exquisite. Raw, imperfect, fragile, bold and unique pieces are created from the simple products of nature. Focused on the art of ‘accidental making’, his embracement of this approach to working with greenwood (unseasoned wood) allows him to create the stripped back, beautiful vessels he is known for. As Nic says, “Working with greenwood allows great freedom in my making. It can twist, move and change colour in the seasoning process, creating wonderful natural surprises.”
Nic uses fire to great effect in his accidental making, allowing the elements to react, creating cracks, splits and natural imperfections; encouraging the unexpected movement in the wood, which continues throughout the lives of the incredible pieces he creates. Transported to new environments they react with the elements around them, and continue to tell their stories. Nic’s work is, as he says, at “the whim of elemental forces…I embrace the chance and the accidental so present in the natural world. How the careless hand of nature shapes and forms our landscapes on which we base our sense of beauty.”
Watch a video of Nic making his work >>
The artist:
Jason Martin creates hugely expressive paintings that are visceral, striking and record the movement of the human hand that has somehow been frozen in time. Through the use of his own handcrafted brushes, the controlled application of paint, and meticulously choreographed movement, his work is awarded an extraordinary sculptural quality.
Jason, like Nic, embraces accidental mark making. His earlier work focuses on the use of oil or acrylic gel, and much of it has a subtle rhythmic texture to it, suggestive of fine strands of hair, or the surges of waves.
His later work progresses to much more textured, raw and organic casts, worked from pure pigment on panel and often mixing volatile materials. These have incredible depth and fluidity to them and conjure thoughts of the volcanic, earthy and bold natural surfaces of the earth.
Whilst the materials and the processes Nic and Jason use vary, the results from accidental marking and input of natural processes are spectacular, and help us see the Luxury of Nature with fresh eyes.