Old Wood to New

I run a small workshop in Ferring, where I create mainly lighting pieces from old wood, reclaimed wood, and other rescued materials. After finishing a long run of private commissions, I’m now building back into selling through my new Tudor Dewling pieces and my small Etsy store, where I combine my lamps with my wife’s handmade Japanese lanterns.

We’re moving toward a more distinctive style, as our work has often been copied. I also source handblown light bulbs to feature in our pieces, helping each item feel more individual and expressive. This is a small new beginning for us again, after being under contract for some time, and we’re excited to grow the catalogue with fresh themes.

My work includes lamps and light pieces made from rotted stumps collected via a tree surgeon when trees need to be removed, reclaimed wood from renovations, driftwood, and timber that has been cut for logs but discarded because it was too knotty to burn. I never take wood from the forest, because nature is far more beautiful than anything I could make from it.

My wife, who is from the Kansai region of Japan, creates traditional lanterns inspired by Japanese craft, along with mosaic work influenced by our travels through parts of the Middle East and the Silk Road, where my ancestry also comes from. Together, we are putting our storefront and social media presence first, with our limited current offerings helping to inspire the next stage of the business.

Our style leans toward the witchy, pagan, and Celtic, with a spiritual feel and a slightly darker aesthetic that may appeal to those drawn to the supernatural and mystical side of handmade craft.