Joey Richardson

Wood sculptor

©Julian Calder

©Dr. A. Whitaker

©Andrew Whtiaker

Revealing the story and soul of wood

The first wooden object Joey made was an oak stool
She won a woodturning competition despite cutting her finger in an accident
One of Joey’s studios is a treehouse

Joey Richardson’s bucket list, following a big accident and hospitalisation in her early 20s, included creating items out of wood, so she enrolled in a woodworking evening class. Growing up on a small farm in the middle of beautiful woodland, her love for fauna and flora developed. A bursary award from the Worshipful Company of Turners of London allowed Joey to study with the late master Binh Pho, followed by a scholarship from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust and a master’s degree in fine arts. These rich experiences, among many others, shaped her unique style, which comes from combining traditional woodworking skills with innovative techniques such as piercing, texturing, airbrushing and carving, and occasionally using mixed media to produce new and exciting concepts.

Interview

©Dr. A. Whitaker

©Dr. A. Whitaker

How would you define what you do?: I am an artist/sculptor/woodturner who incorporates traditional craft skills with a theoretical depth, investigating the symbiotic relationships that humans have with trees and nature. Wood is warm, tactile, natural, and has a history and a story of its own.
How is your craft linked to your environment?: Nearly all of my sculptural wood objects are created out of reclaimed sycamore from Twigmoor and Scawby Estates where I grew up. Using both my craft skills and the material, I create work that has strong links to the history of the place and the origin of material.
What is your studio like?: My current studio consists of several small studios. The most exciting is a fabulous treehouse which looks out over open fields. I then have three separate small studios: one for turning, one for carving and piercing and one for airbrushing, colouring and gilding.
What surprises people about your work?: All my pieces contain butterflies, which represent my children. We have had many struggles. The butterflies portray their freedom and strength, which help them to embrace the future, making us all stronger and more beautiful.

Joey Richardson is a master artisan: she began her career in 2003 and she started teaching in 2005