Original woodwork
Marquetry
Colin developed his skills as a woodworker fitting out his boat, and when he returned from his travels, he gained work with some friends building bespoke kitchens. Although he had no formal training as a woodworker both his father and grandfather worked with wood, and in Colin's words, "you develop an instinctive sense about how things fit together".
Colin's first excursion into marquetry was a simple banding inlay set into the saloon table onboard the boat. The table generated a lot of interest and he went on to make tables for family and friends. The early pieces featured designs such as butterflies, flowers and leaves. As his designs became more elaborate it became necessary to develop different techniques. What had been a hardwood base evolved into a solid frame. At the same time, the underframes were lowered to their current height of about 14", which emphasises the design as the focal point of each table.
Originally, most of Colin's commissions came by word of mouth, but for the last five years Colin has exhibited his work at the Brighton Festival with the 5-Ways Artists group, and recently he has had stalls at craft fairs.
"I don't think you can underestimate the insight you can gain from simply talking to people who are interested in your work, and from seeing what does and does not sell", Colin told me.
With prices ranging from £1,000 to £2,500, the tables are unlikely to be bought on impulse, but sales often come from people who have seen his work at a show then call to talk about a commission weeks or even months later. Like many craftspeople, Colin has had to be resourceful. He tells me, "for a time in the 1980's my letterhead had photography, woodwork and sailing on it! I suppose you could say I'm a bit of a late developer, but in fact all of these elements had their part to play in what I'm doing now."
CRAFTSMAN MAGAZINE, January 2000 by Michael Ball
The workshop :: Career and life infuences"for a time in the 1980's my letterhead had photography, woodwork and sailing on it! I suppose you could say I'm a bit of a late developer, but in fact all of these elements had their part to play in what I'm doing now."
