LIZ PEARSON
October 2020
I’ve used the Ash wood to create my first collection of wooden dishes, plates and cups called 3 Bears Woodware. I wanted to design an alternative to plastic bowls, plates and cups. Items for babies and children to use safely that wouldn’t pollute the Earth or damage their health. Woodware is a great alternative to plastic tableware for picnics, BBQ’s and families with small children. It's ideal for use as dishware as it’s durable, tough and ages well but doesn't pollute the environment. It’s also naturally antibacterial. 3 different sized bowls and plates means there's one that's "just right" for everyone. The plates double as lids for the bowls making them very functional and stackable.
I've created 48 pieces so far on my lathe including 19 bowls, 15 plates and 14 cups. Every piece's engraved with my maker’s mark, the project’s name and a unique number so that the people who use them will know where they came from. 8 bags of wood shavings have also been generated. These have been donated to a local school for use in their food waste composter.
Updates From liz’s blog
I believe that educating future generations to care for our environment and manage it sustainably is crucial if we’re to reverse the damage done by Man to the environment. Educational projects that create connections between the community and nature are a great way to do this. A project I’m lucky enough to be involved in, is a great example of this…
The Ash tree selected to be used in the project was felled on a part of the Engelfield Estate, just 2 miles from my home! It was 22 metres tall and 80 years old.
The Ash was selected for the project to highlight the problem of Ash dieback disease which it was in the early stages of.
The disease was first identified in the UK in 2012 and, according to the Woodland Trust, “will kill up to 95% of ash trees across the UK. At a cost of billions, the effects will be staggering. It will change the landscape forever and threaten many species which rely on ash.”
The One Ash project encourages the children to notice Ash trees in their local environment before they start disappearing.
The Ash tree, kindly donated for the project by Engelfield Estate, grew near Oval Pond in woodland called Roundoak Piece.
Not long after Felling Day lockdown happened. So it wasn’t until June 2020 that the timber was distributed. My share came from the crown of the tree. The crown of the tree is the section above the main trunk where it splits into branches.
Updates From liz’s blog
This journal entry continues on from One Ash – Part 1 which was about Andover Trees United and the aims and structure of the project. In this entry I’ll share with you what I created from my One Ash wood.
There are 3 parts to the One Ash Project: Meeting the tree, Felling the tree and then Following the tree as it’s processed into timber and used by craftspeople, furniture makers and artists. I’m involved in the third part. The idea is that the school children will be able to learn how wood is processed and made into a range of useful things. To enable this I’m recording my process photographically and with videos. I’m also recording all of the ‘waste’ wood and shavings generated. However, I’m planning to minimise my waste as far as possible by using off cuts from the large pieces to make smaller items.
sustainable woodware
I’m using the Ash to create my first collection of wooden dishes and cups. I’ve already written about the inspiration behind the woodware collection. 3 Bears woodware is sustainable, healthy tableware. It’s a great alternative to plastic tableware for picnics, BBQ’s and families with small children.
Wood’s ideal for use as dishware as it’s durable, tough and ages well, unlike plastic. It’s also naturally antibacterial. To find out more about the benefits of eating from wooden dishes click here.
initial experiments
An oval bowl (left) produced using the timber across the grain next to a roundish bowl (right) produced by turning the timber end grain.
A cup containing water produced with minimal wastage from branch wood. The branch was originally only a slightly larger diameter. The wood is waterproofed using locally produced, food grade, organic hemp seed oil.
making a cross grain wooden bowl
Splitting a log in half means 2 cross grain bowls can be made from one section of log. Due to the way that the wood changes shape as it dries these bowls final shape is oval.
48 pieces of woodware have been created so far (last updated 12/10/20)
19 Bowls
15 Plates
14 Cups
limited edition
As I have a finite amount of timber I’m limited in the number of pieces I can make. Every piece is engraved with my maker’s mark, the project’s name and a unique number.
waste generated
8 bags of wood shavings have been generated. It’s been donated to a local school for use in their food waste composter
