branding irons

by Adrian Cooke, University of Lethbridge, Alberta

If a person fabricates a tool, do they, through a more hands-on process, introduce a certain sensitivity and aesthetic that directly affects the shape, surface and tactile appearance of the final form in a way that industrial manufacturing processes may not?

I am surrounded by tools, both electric and hand held, used for specific purposes in my work. They enable me to manipulate, create and sculpt all kinds of forms out of wood, a medium I love for its versatility and warmth — it can be cut, bent, burnt, sanded, drilled, chiselled, chipped, dyed, laminated and imprinted with saws, drills, sanders, carving tools and propane torches. Burning has a history in my work; beautiful contrasts between hard and soft grains emerge when charred surfaces are exposed and manipulated. For me, branding is a natural extension of the burning process. . . .

Read the rest of Adrian Cooke's art-making processes in On Site review 39: tools