Mark Collett

M.A.Aston

Lamp maker

©Mark Collett

©M_A_Aston

Steam, bend, light, bright

Mark turns wood into fluid forms
He only works with locally sourced wood
His luminaires are designed to be functional and timeless

Mark Collett injects modernity in woodworking by creating elegant light sculptures of clean design. Located in France, in the heart of nature, the atelier M.A.Aston specialises in the creation of bespoke luminous suspensions made from local wood and crafted with the steam-bending technique. By perfecting this process of naturally steaming the wood to make it malleable, Mark sculpts it into curved, flowing shapes, in a quest for simplicity in its purest form. As woodworking is a passion that runs in his family, he learned the trade from his father. But it is his very first encounter with steam-bending that inspired him to fully embrace the creative side of the craft: “It seemed to open up a whole new world to me, a world where the only limits where my imagination.”

Interview

©Mark Collett

©Mark Collett

Where did you hone your experience of working with steam-bent wood?: I have spent many years learning how to steam-bend wood in various workshops, however the majority of my experience comes from working on my own, extensive trials and meticulous note keeping. I believe to understand something you have to repeat it over and over again, until you have a feel for the limits of the technique.
What led you to the creation of bespoke light sculptures?: I was drawn like a moth to the light, so to speak. The mix of modern LED lighting and the simple curves made with steam-bent wood, l find to be magical. The three-dimensional aspect of a light sculpture is also extremely enjoyable to create.
What type of wood do you work with?: I try to be as eco responsible as possible. l fell my own trees from my own land and use a local sawmill to process the wood. I only take what l need and plant more trees to replace the ones l have felled. At the moment l have American oak and European ash in my wood store.
How do you go from inspiration to ideas to the final piece?: I start with a simple drawing. However, l am not the world’s best artist. Once l have an idea, l let my mind run with it, l try to overcome as many obstacles as possible in my head. Once l have a general plan, then l start to work with the wood directly.

Mark Collett is an expert artisan he began his career in 1986