After a degree in 3D Design at Camberwell College of Arts, Darren Appiagyei founded his studio in 2017 with the support of the Worshipful Company of Turners. He takes inspiration for his contemporary turned wooden vessels from the pieces he finds on regular trips to Woodlands Farm in southeast London, acharitable trust with a commitment to biodiversity. He seeks “hidden gems”, pieces of wood covered with burr, with interesting grains and beautiful textures: his ideas about the shapes to create develop organically from these finds.

Darren’s ambition in his award-winning work is to enhance the natural beauty of the wood he uses through shaping and mark making, underpinnedby hisdeep love and fascination with wood in its rawest form. With every vessel hem akes he seeks to embracethe intrinsic beauty of the wood: cracks, textures, knots or lack of symmetry. Every vessel is unique, a careful revelation of the inner beauty of the wood, deliberately finished in a way that retains and highlightsits natural features. Darren sees his work as a way to educate viewers on a variety of woods. His most recent achievement is being selected for the prestigious Cove Park Craft &amp; Design residency for summer 2020.

Darren has been a member of Design-Nation’s scheme for recent graduates since 2018.Portrait by @ourcreativenature