We meet Victoria Walpole, a Northumberland- based marquetry artist
Victoria Walpole has had a varied career: after graduating with a degree in Industrial Design, she worked as a toy designer in Hong Kong and later a senior lecturer in Industrial Design at Northumbria University. But woodwork has always been her passion and years of training has developed her skills in traditional cabinetmaking and marquetry. She particularly enjoys ecclesiastical work, and in 2023 she was awarded a Bespoke Guild Mark from The Furniture Makers’ Company for her Living Water font cover for the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Coleshill, Birmingham. The Bespoke Guild Mark is a prestigious prize that recognises excellence in design, materials, craftsmanship and function.
Victoria trained and is based at the Robinson-Gay workshop near Wallington, Northumberland. Her work, and that of other local artists, is displayed at the Robinson-Gay Gallery in Market Street, Hexham.
www.robinsongaycabinetmakers.co.uk
Can you tell us a bit about your background? Growing up both my Dad and my Grandad were patient enough to let me ‘help’ in their work sheds. I used to spend hours on the big rocking horse my Grandad made for me. When I was a little older, my dad built just about the most exciting creation I could possibly imagine, a treehouse in the weeping willow in our garden. I spent a lot of my very happy childhood up there in the branches!
You had to fight to be allowed to take Craft Design Technology at O-Level. What inspired that determination? I just loved woodwork! Even though it was considered to bethe ‘boys’ subject’ in the 1980s I remember feeling at home in the woodwork room from the very first lesson.
You then studied and worked in Industrial Design where you highlighted sustainability. How did you bring this to the forefront and why is it so important to you? After graduating with a first class honours in Industrial design I worked as a toy designer in Hong Kong for a number of years. It was fast-paced and exciting. I travelled widely, especially around East Asia having a real adventure and meeting some wonderful people. I’m ashamed to say sustainability was not a priority, in either my lifestyle or work at that time. After a few years though, I started to question the value of what I was actually involved in – shipping container loads of plastic stuff that no one really needs halfway across the world. When I later taught Contemporary Influences on Design at Northumbria University, I brought sustainable design to the forefront of the dissertation module in various ways including live projects and guest speakers to enhance the lecture programme. I hoped to enable and inspire future industrial designers to be wiser than I had been in considering the ecological impact of their work.
What made you decide to learn carpentry and joinery, and then a cabinetmaking apprenticeship? I completed a City & Guilds in carpentry and joinery because my career had taken me completely away from working with my hands, other than on a keyboard. I knew making was something I have an aptitude for and enjoy, so I wanted to develop some skills. I was very lucky to be given a chance at Robinson-Gay, probably the finest cabinetmakers in the North. I just did one day a week until I eventually managed to make a mirror frame of high enough quality to be sold in the Robinson-Gay gallery. Then I quit my stressful job and became a full-time craftsperson.
Did you mainly learn traditional cabinetmaking techniques during this apprenticeship? I learnt traditional cabinetmaking techniques from Master cabinetmaker Stephen Robinson-Gay starting by using only hand tools at first before progressing to also using machinery for speed. Alongside this, Stephen also taught me restoration skills and much more about history and antique furniture than I ever managed to remember. I also gained an education into some great music in Stephen’s workshop!
I would like to use this opportunity to say thank you to Stephen for sharing his time and incredible expertise in training me and for letting me work in his lovely workshop for all these years.
What appeals to you about the marquetry technique? I enjoy doing fine detail work and also find the contrasts of colour and grain of all the different woods really appealing.
What kinds of marquetry products do you make? I mostly make boxes but also some musical instruments, mirror frames, table inlays and panels for furniture etc. I first had the idea to combine marquetry with carving for the aumbry, then took this concept further in the Living Water font cover.
Do you also do restorations? Yes, I expertly restore antique marquetry, something the laser cutter can’t do! When hardwood pieces have been cabinet made, meaning made to last with high quality workmanship, they can usually be restored to their original beauty. It’s a delicate but very rewarding process.
Where do you source your materials? I mostly use offcut timber from the Robinson-Gay cabinetmaking business. I have bought veneers from various suppliers in the past but have also been very fortunate to have been gifted some great selections.
What inspires your marquetry designs? I am mostly inspired by nature as I don’t think anything comes close in beauty to the natural world.
What are your favourite types of projects to work on? Definitely ecclesiastical projects, where the work is to have Christian meaning as well as utility and aesthetic appeal. It is also such an honour to create for the church where my work sits inside and alongside that of past generations of the most incredibly skilled artisans.
You also work as a handywoman, what kinds of job do you do? I have done all sorts. Joinery, gardening, painting and decorating, laminate flooring, repairs and restoration. I have a wonderful teenager daughter to support!
How did the commission for the Living Water font come about? I fixed a broken altar rail at my parent’s church, then later received the commission for the aumbry funded by a gift left in a will. The family wanted the money to be spent on something of lasting value that would be seen and appreciated. The aumbry stores the bread and wine hence the wheat and vine design. After it was installed, a group of parishioners decided that they would also like to leave a legacy in wood for their church, but would like to be able to see the result. The most famous feature and greatest treasure of the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Coleshill is its finely carved font. Dating from the mid to late 12th century, the font is made from Caen stone imported from Normandy. It really deserved something better than the piece of MDF which was being used as the cover. I was very honoured to have been entirely trusted with the artistic direction of the project, and delighted the work has been so
well received.
Can you tell us about the design and making process of the Living Water project? I found designing the piece a real challenge because I had something wonderful in my mind which I couldn’t quite birth into reality. After numerous development sketches I made a rough, full-scale model of the top of the font and started making sketch models of a cover using all kind of materials such as wood, clay, foam, stones and plants. To avoid interrupting the aesthetic of the beautiful Saxon stone work, the bulk of the cover is dropped down into the font. This also creates an element of surprise and the effect of looking down into a pond which children especially enjoy. Inspired by the river baptism of Christ, I spent a lot of time studying rivers, streams and lakes, the fish in them and plants around them during the design process.
The final build started with a strong plywood framework fixed with glued and screwed joints. The hand-cut marquetry, with shading achieved by burning the veneers in hot sand, was fixed to the inner circle and finished before the upper frame was attached. This was edged with walnut and holly strips, using scotch glue. An old motor and plant pot were used to tumble smooth the wooden ‘pebbles.’ Each was hand finished before being fixed with pins and epoxy. Many were inlaid into the marquetry to give the impression of immersion in water. The carvings were also done separately and finished before being screwed into place. The ‘waterfall’ is inlaid with mother of pearl and ivory recycled from broken piano keys. Lastly the underside was covered in foam sheet to protect the surface of the font.
Living Water became a real labour of love and a showcase for hardwoods. The painstaking finishing process displays the incredible natural beauty of the material by contrasting so many diverse varieties and is irresistibly tactile. I hope the complexity of design, representing baptism as a journey, may encourage contemplation. I’m informed that visitors to the church are often seen attempting to brush off the carved ‘dead’ leaves! These represent old life/sins washing away.
How did it feel to be awarded the Bespoke Guild Mark? Being awarded the Bespoke Guild Mark gave me much-needed encouragement after lockdown made making a living as an artist/ artisan so much more difficult.
What does the future hold for you and your work? Sadly, the more expensive life has become the less time I have spent in the workshop. I don’t make the boxes anymore as I can’t compete with the speed and accuracy of the laser cutter but I would really like to move to making more ambitious sculptural pieces enhanced with marquetry rather than centred upon it. I am still available for restoration work. I have many ideas for larger scale ecclesiastical work which I would love to complete. My dream would be to be able to devote years to a cathedral-scale commission.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY VICTORIA WALPOLE, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED