Brian Eyley’s Artistry in Wood
Brian is based in Wickham, Hampshire, where he creates a variety of arty and fun things on a woodturning lathe.
Art Woodturning
His greatest love is to create artistic woodturning with simple shapes derived from natural things or to use the natural grain and features of the wood to create beauty.
The grain, colour, bark and the shape are all important to Brian and he delights in the way the shape changes as the wood dries and warps, sometimes in very unexpected ways. For that reason, he often turns the wood when it is wet (unseasoned) and in a way to encourage distortion. What some would regard as defects – splits, cracks, knots, odd grain and even woodworm holes – are all considered enhancements and, where possible, are cherished and made into features. (Note that any woodworm holes are treated so any remaining little critters will be dead). Many items have shrunk so are no longer round and some turned objects do not have the appearance of having been produced on a lathe at all!
Fun Woodturning
He also makes fun items, which are popular for presents at Christmas or, indeed, at any time of the year.
These include Rockin’ Trees, speciality spinning tops (such as Tippee Tops that turn themselves upside down, or tops that leave patterns on paper), robins, mice, puzzle boxes and more.
Creative Process
All of the woodturned pieces are produced entirely by hand, mostly on the lathe. Many come from fallen trees native to Britain, but garden varieties are also used. Very little is bought and all wood is from sustainable sources.
Most decorative items are finished by sealing and burnishing them and then adding a beeswax-based wax, such as Chestnut Clear Wood Wax 22, which is a blend of beeswax (for shine) and carnauba wax (for hardness). For maintenance, just repolish with a good quality wax polish. Items that are intended for food are finished with food-safe products.
See more of Brian’s work
Brian accepts commissions and also produces seasonal items before Christmas and other festivals, ideal for unique presents for relatives, friends, teachers, etc. Items can be posted to the UK or anywhere in the world.
During the Hampshire Open Studio event (22-31 August 2026) Brian’s work will be on display at his home in Wickham together with that of several other artists (please check opening days and times with Brian beforehand). Please do pay a visit.
You can also see his work at Wessex Guild of Craftsmen events.
