Last week we invited woodsman Andrew Groves of Miscellaneous Adventures to take over our Instagram and he treated us to a feast of bluebells, wood shavings and fondlesome spoons. We pulled him up for a quick chin-wag over a kuksa of something hot and potent.
What's the story behind Miscellaneous Adventures, then?
Miscellaneous Adventures started off as an extension of my illustration work. My work has always been influenced by nature, adventure and folklore and I guess I wanted to do something that connected me more closely with those things. After hiking through the Swedish wilderness and discovering the beautiful folk objects in that part of the world I began to teach myself how to work with wood using traditional methods. Since launching my first collection of wooden objects several years ago, however, it’s developed into an outdoor brand selling wooden utensils, tools and artwork celebrating the great outdoors. We now also run workshops teaching the woodworking and outdoor skills I’ve learnt along the way to other creative, adventurous folk.
What's the allure of working with wood?
Working with wood requires a sensitive and considered approach; it forces you to slow down and study the material. It requires a certain amount of adaptability, too, as each piece of wood is different and you really have to work with natural shapes rather than fight against them. I enjoy that process. Working with unseasoned wood and harvesting the materials myself means I’ve had to learn more about trees, their growing cycles and the forest in general and this too is a big part of the draw.