English The latest Meet Our Members blog heads to the woods to meet Celine McCutcheon from Grown and Made. She first got into carpentry around 13 years ago, and soon shifted her interest to green woodwork. After volunteering at the Cherrywood Project near Bristol, she learnt about the whole system from woodland management to woodwork, and eventually did her apprenticeship there five years later. She currently mixes her time between working for the Soil Association forestry team, making greenwood products and doing some forestry during the winter. She has recently bought a piece of woodland with her partner which they hope to manage as well as setting up a small tree nursery and teaching space.
What do you love most about your work?
What I love most is working with wood from the woods I’ve managed, processing it down to something I’ve made, and using only hand tools when I can. But also when I do the forestry work, it’s the fresh air and exercise, not to mention the people I work with – I enjoy the chat and it’s refreshing to work with a group of (majority) women / non binary people.
Tell us about a book that’s impacted you on your journey?
Many many books! Woodland Crafts of Britain by H L Edlin. is one, and also The Woodland Way by Ben Law.
What does a normal working day look like for you?
It’s hard to pinpoint or describe an average day – it depends if its summer (making products) or winter (forestry work), or if it’s on my Soil Association days! Splitting my time between so many tasks can sometimes be overwhelming, but generally I enjoy the variety and mix of jobs.
What’s your favourite tree to work with and why?
It varies, but today I’ll go with elm for its interlocking grain and weavable bark which is a fun to extract, and because I love that people used to make ten foot water pipes with it – it reminds me of all the forgotten uses and history of wood and that we can survive without plastic.
What has been the most unexpected thing you’ve learnt about forestry/woodwork?
The benefits and joys of hand tools!
What would your teenage self think about your present self?
My teenage self would be surprised and pleased – I had no idea then that this kind of work would be a possibility for me, or that I would enjoy it so much.
Find out more about Celine’s work on the Grown and Made website, on Facebook or Instagram.
Want to be featured on our blog or nominate another member? Fill out this form!
