Alan Meredith

Alan Meredith completed a BSc in Architecture at University College Dublin in 2012, and an MA in Architecture in 2015. He began working with wood at an early age, and his output to date straddles the boundaries of contemporary craft, architecture and sculpture. He works from his studio in Co. Laois, making in a variety of scales in response to the constraints of his materials and the discipline of woodturning.

Alan is interested in finding the appropriate form for each object while attempting to reveal the inherent properties of the woods he uses. The techniques employed are an intrinsic part of the form-finding process, while the making is seen as a reflective journey. His most recent work focuses on the use of green oak to create turned vessels. He feels this is the purest expression of his values as a maker, his love of oak, and its potential as a material. These sculptural works are made from locally-sourced Irish oak – Ireland’s national tree, known for its exceptional longevity, strength and character. Formed or turned from solid pieces of unseasoned oak, his works are a dialogue between hand and material which aims to create a distilled complexity; visually calm and skilfully executed. Through the sympathetic manipulation of the material he aims to explore new possibilities and reveal exciting original forms.

Alan Meredith applied for a Golden Fleece Award to invest in practical upgrades to his studio making facilities and equipment which would allow him to scale-up his work and begin creating more challenging and impactful pieces that highlight the dramatic effects of steam-bending.