Liam Flynn

Flynn's family have been involved in joining and woodworking over generations. Liam carries on the tradition, but his focus is on turning wood, specifically creating and refining the classic vessel form. The true skill is understanding the grain of the wood and manipulating the process of turning so that it becomes an integral part to the creative design of the piece. The artist has the innate ability and experience to foresee how the wood will dry allowing him to make vessels, which while stunningly simple and elegant in style, are exceptionally complex to achieve. The artist says of his practice, ' I relish the challenge of interpreting what the timber will do, how much movement is going to occur as the vessel dries out and what influence that will have on the final line of the piece.' He works almost entirely in Irish Oak, a strong durable wood that demands simplicity of form. As the wood is also rich in tannins, it is ideal for fuming and ebonising, a colouring that the artist can use creatively to accentuate the stark form he achieves. Almost entirely self taught, Liam is now recognised as one of the world's foremost Woodturners. His work is in the permanent collections of Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK; National Museum of Ireland; Wood Turning Center, Philadelphia; Department of Foreign Affairs Ireland Collection and Crafts Council of Ireland.