Jeremy Cosmo Davies

Artist's Statement

I came to make furniture after a career in International Aid work in Africa. My approach is unconventional. My skills were initially honed, however, on traditional Windsor Double Bow and Welsh Stick Back chairs and I have continued to uphold the Arts and Crafts values of beauty and usefulness. Over the past 5 years I have been stimulated by Individual commissions of contemporary design and have found myself drawing on art forms and the simple utilitarian material culture of East Africa.

"...Two weeks after the skimpy Gothic bench incident I was sitting comfortably in a Northumbrian garden, on a wooden bench that was as much a dramatic piece of contemporary sculpture as an item of furniture. Inspired by the skeletal hulk of an oak-framed ship in the sands at Bamburgh, and a how under construction in a Somali boatyard, Jeremy Cosmo Davies has created an elliptical sweep of clinker-built ash and solid cedar, which holds the sitter(s) in a gentle embrace. The high, curved back and the deep, solid seat create an inviting intimacy with the wood that might prove distracting even to gardeners with a highly developed work ethic. There are no more than a dozen in existence so far, each one slightly different from its predecessors …". By Kirsty Fergusson in an article entitled "Are you sitting comfortably",
The Times, Saturday August 24th 2002.

Outdoor furniture has given me scope to experiment with abstract forms that harmonise with the landscape and resonate with images from my travels. By playing with elliptic shapes, I have produced a range of seats, chairs, tables and now a bridge, that are witty, sculptural and challenging with little compromise.

Influences

I enjoy the opportunity to travel and visit galleries of importance to chairmakers and those who cherish the visual arts. These have included Vitra Design Museum at Weil am Rhein, near Basel; The Yorkshire Sculpture Park, south of Leeds; The Goodwood Sculpture Park in Sussex and their gallery in London; The Shipley Gallery in Gateshead; The Ropewalk Gallery, on the south side of the Humber bridge; and for historical reflection on the development of Windsor chairmaking in England, a visit to the High Wycombe Museum in Berkshire is a must. The Elliptic I and II Seats can be viewed at The Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden, Ockley, just south of Dorking in Surrey

I am eternally grateful to all my clients who have continued to challenge me with intriguing commissions, with surprising results. I would also like to express my appreciation to John & Mary Barber at Brackenside who have given me so much encouragement, and provide me with space for my creative endeavours. Thank you …

Terms & Conditions

I retain the copyright to all of my own designs represented. Whilst I try to keep this website updated, the specification and prices for pieces may change so please contact me to discuss your individual requirements, and to finalise the specification and price in writing.

I normally request an advance amounting to 50% of the final commission before starting the work.

Where possible I like to deliver the commission to meet the client personally, and oversee its installation. This delivery charge is made at cost, including packaging. For international deliveries I will organize the freight by a professional furniture removal company to include insurance and charged at cost to the client who will be responsible for paying all state and federal taxes.

I take no responsibility for the weathering and neglect of care of the item of furniture by the client or others.