Barnsley Workshop
Bespoke furniture makers since the 1920's
Hi James, your Library Steps got picked out at Masterpiece as a show highlight which must have been a great compliment considering the quality of the fair. How did this design evolve and what was the time scale?
It was a great honour to have my design picked out as a sculptural highlight and in such illustrious company of Hepworth and Moore. The design evolution goes back to 1999 when I was asked by a client for a set of steps. We made that first design and I was surprised by the amount of interest they generated. It made me think there may be a niche market for contemporary steps. This then led to a bit of an obsession with library steps leading up to the latest iteration.
Your work seems to combine the Arts and Crafts ethos with Edward Barnsley’s impeccable craftsmanship. Are you very conscious of the past in your work, or is it a natural evolution?
Very aware! The heritage laden history is a lot to live up to. The key point for me is the journey, Edwards early work was very much grounded in his fathers and Gimson’s design styles but over his lifetime his recognisable design style evolved to become uniquely Edward Barnsley. I hope that my work continues this process of contemporary evolution responding to changes in the way people live, the materials and techniques available and the learning from 100 years of furniture making.
The workshop always seems to have kept to the idea of ‘designer as maker’, how important is that ethos at Barnsley?
It is fundamental to our approach, we believe in learning how to make furniture really well as a first step. It is important with the type of one off work we do that the designer is intimately acquainted with the material and construction methods/ process. The designer maker principal either makes himself or more typically oversees other makers to increase the overall output of the workshop. This also has the added benefit of allowing other makers the experience of working with a designer maker.
The idea of the apprenticeship seems quite old fashioned but I think it’s more relevant now than ever. How closely do you stick to the original teaching method of Edward Barnsley? He’s a person I imagine set an extremely high bar for his students!
It has never stopped being important/ relevant but it varies as to how topical the subject is! The outcome remains of trying to turn out confident and highly skilled makers. The apprenticeship structure has evolved over many decades to provide a focused syllabus that provides good teaching content and high level craft skills. We hope that the way we teach today is focused and more efficient in delivering learning in a shorter time period.
The last time I visited you were making a dining table from a beautiful piece of wood that you had been saving for the specific purpose. How often do you come across a piece of wood that tells you what it must be?
Working with rare and unusual homegrown timber is one of the great pleasures of my work. Not knowing exactly how the material will turn out adds a frisson of uncertainty to the whole process which can be exciting. Often the designs are unique but even when they are not the timber always makes each individual piece unique. How often can one say that there exists only one of these in the whole of our mass produced world.
The tabletop.
Immaculate maquets.
Looking out to the gardens.
Your ‘Repose’ Rocking Chair is on version lll now and it comes in a variety of unexpected beautiful finishes, scrubbed & scorched oak, giving them a seamless look and fresh contemporary feel. Do you leave time for ‘play’ and experimentation in the workshop to help take your designs forward?
I do try and create time for experimentation and often a new exhibition or fair can act as a catalyst for needing to come up with a new piece to show. There never feels like there is enough time though!
Interview & Photographs: Dan Fontanelli
The photographs were commissioned by James Ryan, head designer, with consultation from Sarah Myerscough from the Sarah Myerscough Gallery.
