About

About

Geoff Hannis

(@geoffhannis on instagram)

I studied engineering at Oxford University and that lead naturally to a career in the sciences at Jaguar Land Rover, where I stayed for ten years. Although there were elements of this path that fascinated me; design, processes and creativity, when viewed as a whole, I found it unfulfilling and I had a strong urge to be outdoors. In 2017, I finally quit for good (after some false starts) and discovered craft, and by extension art. Via the Cherry Wood Project and the Somerset Bodgers at Tyntesfield House, my office these days is an open-sided timber barn built from scratch with friends at Grow Wilder in Frenchay, Bristol. It’s a far cry from my computer desk but I find it an altogether more rewarding lifestyle. I was very grateful in early 2024 to be named the QEST Turners’ Company Emerging Maker to learn how to make stop-turned vessels, a technique unique to the pole lathe.

I now work full-time on my business ‘Tree to Treen’: Teaching, demonstrating and making for online sales,offline markets, and a wide range of commissions.

During my time as a craftsman I have been drawn towards using living materials, that is to say those which can re-grow, and are low-energy to extract and use, such as wood, fibre and leather. This fits within my definition/ethos of sustainability, although I appreciate that that is viewed differently by everyone.

Noticing and honouring connections has always been vital to my work; as such I consciously leave imperfections/memories of the original material such as cleft marks or barkscars. You’ll also notice I leave evidence of the tools used, such as the occasional axe mark, which help the viewer to understand the processes used to make the object. These connections continue to grow and change once my items find a home. As the wood wears it develops a rich patina through years of use and the items themselves become part of people’s lives and stories.

I’m currently absorbed by making objects from wood which are typically thought of as being made of other materials. In doing so, I gain a greater understanding of the versatility and potential of wood. I like the idea of making novel ambitious pieces, which the viewer has to look closely at, to understand how the object was made. I have found this process leads to new avenues for exploration and often improves the original, non-wooden object. This re-imagining of objects using a natural & renewable material, re-connects me to my aim/intention of living a sustainable lifestyle.