Sheila Quillin has developed her ethos and method of working with found/felled woods while living with the people and places of New Zealand, Canada and Argyll; she has gained comprehensive knowledge of the native woods of Argyll as well as non-native woods which have made their way to Scotland after long journeys in service as utilitarian objects. Sheila selects rough, abandoned pieces of wood which have become dispossessed from their previous phases of life; over a period of many years, Sheila uses a patient slow-process of cleaning the wood, just enough to reveal the lines, shapes, and forms of its intrinsic contours and patterns.
The first two phases of the wood’s life are when it grows in its place of birth, then, when it is harnessed for use such as in engineering, nautical or architectural services. During the third phase of its life, each piece starts to acquire a polished glow, but in fact has no added oils or preservation-treatments, just the gentle build-up of a natural patina transferred by Sheila’s handling while in her custodianship, when she feels that the wood belonged to her.
The fourth phase is given by you, when you notice or feel something of interest in the wood, and feel that the wood could belong to you; holding it, enabling the oils of your hands to affect it, and controlling the conditions through which the wood will modify again, when exposed to light, temperature, moisture and handling.
The main group of sculptures are of native woods including ash, oak, willow, elm, Scot's pine and cherry as well as non-native sweet chestnut, laurel, laburnum and cedar, all of which were collected in Argyll over a period of 25 years. Now, with hindsight, this group has come to represent a period in Sheila’s life when, due to circumstances, she had to uproot herself from her beloved studio and relocate to another place; over time, she realised that the sense of belonging she thought that she was leaving behind remains imbued in the objects which are exhibited here.
Please consider the labour and beauty that each of these pieces of wood has given to the world, and how your sense of belonging to the wood could affect the next phase of its life.