FANTASTICAL WOOD CRAFT BY JOEY RICHARDSON

JOEY RICHARDSON

The spirit of a magical woodland fantasy is captured beautifully in Joey Richardson’s gorgeous fine craft works. This internationally acclaimed wood-turner carves delicate fantasy vessels, working with organic and floral motifs.  

Richardson’s pieces are infused with movement and grace. Intricate piercings and carvings make solid wood look like lace. They are further embellished with hand-painted accents.

Richardson grew up on a farm in Lincolnshire, England, surrounded by the Twigmoor Woods. She fell in love with wood at an early age.

As she was recovering from a devastating car crash, she wrote a bucket list of what she wanted to do with her life. At the top of her list was her dream to work with wood professionally. After she completed her physical therapy, she immediately enrolled in a night class to develop her wood-turning skills.

After an accident and severely cut her finger on a saw, Richardson’s teacher entered one of her pieces into a turning competition and she won her first of many prizes.

Richardson’s first created beautiful wooden walking sticks and bookshelves, then platters and bowls, then she quickly moved on to crafting more abstract and complex objects. She now casts some of her pieces in glass, metal or bronze.

The careful, dainty detail that Richardson puts into each piece clearly conveys the level of dedication this artist gives to her craft work. Many of her pieces include portions of exposed wood, in an interplay between untouched nature and artistic embellishment.

Each of her unique turnings is based on a story, incorporating Richardson’s dreams, memories, and passions.

The craft of wood-turning and wood carving is mostly practiced by men. Richardson, as one of the few female wood crafters, brings both a feminine aesthetic and a feminine strength.

Richardson is passionate about keeping the traditional craft of wood-turning alive. She teaches and travels to give demonstrations about the craft, which she would like to see considered fine art.

Richardson has been recognized with the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) Award of Excellence, and was made a Liveryman by the 400 year-old Worshipful Company of Turners. Her award-winning crafts have been on exhibition around the world.

See more of Richardson’s fine craft works here.

Want to see more beautiful wood craft? Check out these beautiful craft bowls made from reclaimed wood, celebrating the life of trees.

If you know of other fine crafts artists whose work we should know about, share them with us and we’ll give you a shout out if we feature them on BeautifulNow.

Read more about Beautiful Crafts in Handcrafted Slow Fashion to Love Forever, The Landfill Harmonic Turns Trash Into Beautiful Music, and Scrap Wood Reborn as Beautiful Vessels & Furniture.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: Courtesy of Joey Richardson. “Seed of Love.” Sycamore craft work, by Joey Richardson.
2. Image: Courtesy of Joey Richardson. “Talina.” Sycamore, Joey Richardson.
3. Image: Courtesy of Joey Richardson. “Music of the Night.” Sycamore carving by Joey Richardson.
4. Image: Courtesy of Joey Richardson. “Coalesce.” Sycamore and cut glass craft work, by Joey Richardson.
5. Image: Courtesy of Joey Richardson. “Free One.” Sycamore craft work, by Joey Richardson.
6. Image: Courtesy of Adam Blaue Gallery. “Long White Cloud.” Sycamore craft work, by Joey Richardson.
7. Image: Courtesy of Joey Richardson. “Summer Love.” Sycamore craft work, by Joey Richardson.
8. Image: Courtesy of Joey Richardson. “Occasion.” Sycamore craft work, by Joey Richardson.
9. Image: Courtesy of Adam Blaue Gallery. “Methuselah.” Sycamore craft work, by Joey Richardson.
10. Image: Courtesy of Joey Richardson. “Bud of Love.” Sycamore craft work, by Joey Richardson.
11. Image: by BN App - Download now!
12. Image: Courtesy of Joey Richardson. “QEST.” Sycamore and cut glass craft work, by Joey Richardson.