Focus
The nights are beginning to get lighter and there are signs of new life with emerging bulbs. It's a time for saying goodbye to winter and looking forward to spring.
Tree profile - Rowan
The Rowan (or Mountain Ash) is a small deciduous tree native to Britain. Although shaped a bit like the Ash it is not related and will grow almost anywhere but prefers to grow on higher ground, growing at a higher altitude than any other tree in the country. It is a member of the same family as the Rose, Apple, Cherry, Hawthorn and Blackthorn, living up to two hundred years. It grows up to 50 feet with clusters of creamy flowers that turn into the scarlet berries in the autumn loved by birds.
It is associated with Brigid (Brigantia), 'the bright one', a Celtic goddess presiding over crafts, poetry, writing and inspiration; healing, herbology and midwifery; and fires of the hearth, the smith, his art; and spinning and weaving. 2 February was sacred to her and celebrated by the ancient Celts as Imbolc, a cross quarter day half way between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It was seen as the time when having lain dormant, seeds move by themselves for the first time as a living entity and animals begin to give birth. The cross quarter day marks the high point of the winter season - some of the coldest weather can be at this time. The winter stores of the previous harvest were dwindling so fires were lit to celebrate the awakening of the Earth with the increasing power of the sun, which would ensure the growth of new food in the months ahead.
It is traditionally a time for purification; spring-cleaning to brush away the cobwebs and start afresh. Nature also cleans up, the last of the autumn leaves are cast off ready for new growth.
With the dawn of Christianity Brigid became a Saint whose day is 2 February. It is also the festival of Candlemas when candles are lit in remembrance of the purification of the Virgin Mary when she was received at the temple 40 days after the birth of Jesus.
Rowan was used to make spinning wheels and spindles. It was sacred to the druids, symbolising death and rebirth. Trees were planted near homes as guardians and twigs were placed above the doorways to protect people and livestock from witchcraft, misfortune and evil spirits.
The yellow-grey, relatively hard, fine grained, flexible wood is used for walking sticks and handles of tools and implements. It is suitable for carving. It makes excellent coppices as it grows quickly. A v- shaped rowan branch is also the traditional tool for divining metal ores. The bark and fruit will dye wool black.
A NOTE on Valentine's Day
Its origins aren't clear but go back to Roman times with two theories -
14 February was the day before the Roman feast of Lupercalia, a fertility celebration honouring the goddess of women and marriage, Juno. Women wrote letters and put them in an urn to be drawn out by the men who would then pursue the author.
Valentinus was a Roman priest who performed secret Christian marriages against the orders of Emperor Claudius II who believed single soldiers were more likely to join his army. Valentine was caught and sent his friend, the gaoler's daughter a note before his execution on 14 February 270 A.D., signed 'from your Valentine'. In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius named the day in honour of St Valentine, patron saint of lovers.
Valentines were originally verbal or sung with the first written valentine being attributed to Charles, Duke of Orleans who in 1415 began writing romantic verses for his wife. By the 16th century they were commonplace with commercial cards becoming popular in the mid 1800s.
Maker profile - BRIAN DAWSON
Before Brian started making birds in 1993 he worked for a large building services company for 14 years. Starting straight from college he served a four year electrical apprenticeship, worked his way up the ranks and was made a director. An ambition fulfilled. So at thirty five years old, having worked for one company all his career, he was thoroughly disillusioned, could see the huge building recession on the horizon and decided to make the break.
The inspiration for the first bird he ever made was from reading, Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Using a hammer and chisel, it took him six days to complete and although crude in appearance, still hangs to this day from the stairs landing at his home where he works. Friends and relatives loved its originality and gave him the confidence to approach a local craft gallery which kindly agreed to hang it in their showroom and await public reaction.
Although the design has changed little in principle, production methods and the quality of the finished product have been transformed, as they had to be, due to trial, error and the kind help and advice of other wood workers who he says 'took pity on my ignorance'.
Each wing is hand carved from a solid piece of kiln dried hard wood, not steam bent. A striking effect is achieved by cutting the wing from solid wood meaning that the lines of the grain follow the contours of the wing. The wood is then smoothed and sanded using various grades of abrasive paper. Each pair of wings is then individually balanced with the body as each piece of wood has its own weight and characteristics. A lacquer is then brushed on to seal the grain and after further sanding a wax polish is applied to finish the bird, allowing the natural beauty of the wood to shine through.
Craftsmen and women currently making for Burford Woodcraft
Colin Gosden - Mark Sanger - Alan & Claire Englefield - Martin Jones - John Brown -Tim Atkinson - Phil Irons - Beamers - Phil Jackson - Rowland Bartlett - In House - Ray Key - Gary Rance - Jason Breach - Ian King - David Richfield - Alec Garner - Arboretti - Broadleaf Toys - Graham Lane - Maxine Pharoah - Peter Ridley - Stephen Broadley - Stewart Langworth - Jim Brown - Robert Lewin - Will Sumner - Greg Ryder - Peter Camus - George Luck - Chris Seathard - Booth Design - Ian Clarkson - Nigel Lucraft - Anna Davies - John Mainwaring - John Skelton - Roger Gluyas - Brian Dawson - Margaret's Dolls - Philippine Sowerby - Angelic Hen - Randal Marr - Spinney Craft - Rod Dunworth - Bert Marsh - Richard Forgan - Robin McEwen - Max Suffield - Dennis French - Peter Moss - Jules Tattersall - Gecko - Miranda Roberts - Luke Mulley - Metal Planet - Sue Navin - Justin Duance - Grain Waves - Will Witham - Lawrence Neal - Andrew Tilley - Bob Neill - Toys for Children - Ray Griffiths - Lawrence Oldfield - Peter Tree - Dennis Hales - Helen Osborne - Grahame Tucker - Rosie Hallam - David Owen - Christopher Vickers - Hero - Roger Copple - Keith Parker - Judith Waywell - Mary Howard - Martin Pidgen - Don White - Jack in the Box Company - Franco Pierro - Gordon Wight - Helen Johnson - Plane Delight - Ralph Williams - Petra Johnson - Plate Rattle and Bowl Co - Young Jones - Tom Leask - Ian Grey - Dominck Cumming - Cornish Pixie company - Rock Paper Scissors -
Cards and stationery by : Blue Eyed Sun - Alex Clark - Bug Art - Archivist - Beamers - Little Acorns - Two Bad Mice - Metal Planet - Artysmith - Ronin - Rhyme with Reason - Trumpers World - Janet Whitehead - Heritage Art - Miranda Roberts - Laser Press - Greg Ryder - Young Jones - Sandie Blue - Rachel Goodchild