Hugh Roche Kelly
I'm a woodturner and furniture maker.
I create objects that aim to creat a link between nature and the holder of each piece, a mixture of practical tableware and larger sculptural objects, vases and decorative pieces.
The sourcing of my material is therefore central to my craft, all the wood I use is either locally sourced to Brussels, or in some cases reclaimed waste wood.
After a long career in theatre and performing arts as a technician, I recentered my life around the workshop, having finally realised that it is where I am happiest. I also began to consider the use of resources in my craft, the availability of natural resources in a city envrionment, and started to search for what form my work and practise could take going forward.
In 2019 I helped found the open workshop of Tournevie in Bruxelles, and continue to run this wood and metal workshop part-time, often giving introduction courses to people seeking to use the facilities.
I've also developed a partnership with Sonian.coop, a cooperative who recuperate wood from the Sonian forest that would otherwise either be wood waste, firewood or in many cases exported to sawmills in Asia. This wood is characterful old growth hardwood, most frequently beech trees that are reaching the end of their normal lives.
After a few years making various commissioned furniture and install pieces, I was selected for the CraftHub Craft residency in 2022. This was a week long creative residency at Glenn Lucas' woodturning study centre with eight other craftspeople from around Europe. More than all of the new techniques and skills I learnt during this intense week, the most important result was that my eyes were opened in a new way to the possibilities that woodturning could bring to expressing myself through this material.
Since then, woodturning has been the singular concentration in my craft and my daily focus. I have taken masterclasses with Giorgio Romani (Italy) and returned for further training with Glenn Lucas in Ireland.
If you would like to hear even more about my life, you can check out the podcast I did with the fantastic Jack and Kate of We Are Makers.
Aside from the turned objects detailed above, I do still produce one off or commissioned furniture pieces. Details of these will be added as they are produced, do not hesitate to reach out if you would like to discuss custom options or commissions.