SCOTTISH artist Richard Bracken set up StoicBirch last year as he wanted to venture into craft. Trained as a sculptor at Edinburgh University, Bracken sources the wood for his hand-carved spoons, spatulas and quaichs – traditional Scottish drinking cups used for special occasions – on walks in the forest near his home in the Scottish Highlands.
Name: Richard Bracken
Age: 32
Position: Founder
WHAT’S YOUR BUSINESS CALLED?
StoicBirch
WHERE IS IT BASED?
Fort William
WHY DID YOU SET UP THE BUSINESS?
I’M an artist and wanted to focus more on craft. I have always had an interest in woodland. That was my reason – to explore two aspects of creative practice, art and craft, that are normally quite separate. I would like them to overlap one day.
WHAT IS YOUR TARGET MARKET?
PEOPLE who want to have a connection to either place (in my case the West Highlands) or people looking for a connection with material or the maker. It is handmade, unique and bespoke. The wood is very much of a place – I collect it from local woodlands. It gives people connection to a place through objects whether they are in Scotland already or outside Scotland and want to be connected to it. I often make quaiches that people buy as wedding gifts. It is very much bought by people
who want a connection to the Scottish landscape.
People like the handmade quality. I don’t treat the wood with anything other than a woodsafe oil. People respond well to the texture. A simple object like a spoon that has come from a tree evokes happiness in people – there’s lots of skill in it that I hadn’t really appreciated – people like how handmade it is.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM COMPETING BUSINESSES?
THERE are a lot of woodcraft-based businesses – not in the area I live in but lots of people are doing it – so it is difficult to be truly unique. There are a number of different aspects that build a more unique picture. We make quaiches that are carved instead of turned – it used to be an everyday cup that was decorated and quite ornate. The tool marks I use give character to the piece instead of anything overtly decorative – it evokes everyday origins. It is utilitarian.
For all things I make I use sharp tools – the texture and finish comes from this. It gives a smoother finish to the spoon as opposed to sanding. I also see through the whole process starting with securing the wood. I enjoy walking and looking for
wood to turn into the object and then carrying through the process into carving, oiling and photographing. There’s plenty of wood here in the West Highlands and there’s a rich cultural heritage of using wood. I would like to look more into that.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?
LEARNING more about the digital marketing side – I learned a lot about search engine optimisation and that’s been a big learning curve.
I have enrolled in an online course to learn more about digital marketing.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
All aspects really. I have enjoyed the branding of the business as another creative skill set – aside from just making can use it to put my mark on the business and give it a unique visual quality.
I also love hearing people’s feedback and how enthusiastic they are about being able to hold a wooden spoon – people appreciate a well-made object so that has been really positive. At the beginning of the year we began to sell to America so that was unexpected and feedback from there has been great.
WHERE DO YOU HOPE THE BUSINESS WILL BE IN 10 YEARS’ TIME?
I WOULD like to still be in the Highlands but would like a bigger shed and to marry craft with a fine art aspect and explore that overlap. I would like to see it evolve to an innovative design business with wood at its heart. I would also love to collaborate with other makers and even land owners who have wood on their land. I want people to think of woodland as a resource to use for all circumstances.
As a culture we can think about how to use the environment creatively. I would like us to be somewhere in that wider conversation. It would be good to have an apprentice opportunity or something like that or to collaborate with other people so the opportunity for a larger woodland focus group would emerge.
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