Eleanor Lakelin

Brought up in a rural village in Wales, Eleanor Lakelin worked on educational projects in Europe and West Africa before retraining as a cabinet-maker in 1995.

Since 2011 she has concentrated on the vessel form, studying with established makers whenever possible, but largely teaching herself, to hollow and carve works of increasing scale and ambition. Her sculptural objects are created using a traditional woodworking lathe and centuries-old chisels and gouges, alongside modern carving techniques.

Eleanor Lakelin, Future Heritage 2015 Alumna

Eleanor Lakelin works only with trees grown in Britain, felled due to decay. A deep knowledge and a passionate interest in the natural properties of wood result in forms that seem true to the spirit of the material and which encourage us to look at the complexities of nature with a new perspective. Her work is rooted in the rhythm of growth, the eroding power of the elements and the passing of time. Material is transformed into objects that invite touch and reflection, reminding us of our elemental and emotional bond with wood and our relationship to the earth.

Eleanor Lakelin has always been inspired by landscape and the way natural elements work on it and break it down. Her process is to peel back the bark of the tree, to reveal the organic chaos that can exist in the material itself. She then builds up layers of texture through carving and sandblasting which reference these patterns and lines in landscape and nature. She uses the vessel form and surface pattern to explore the layers and fissures between creation and decay and the erosion of nature.

Her work is exhibited internationally and included in prestigious museums and private collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Museum of London and Mint Museum, USA. She lives and works in London and is represented by Sarah Myerscough Gallery.

Eroding Form By Eleanor Lakelin

At Future Heritage

Eleanor Lakelin created a new body of work for Future Heritage including a series of three ‘Eroding Forms,’ using wood from a great Cedar grown at The National Trust’s Kingston Lacy. The historical tree, originally planted by the Duke of Wellington, was felled due to disease. Part of her ‘Time & Texture’ series, the hollow forms were turned on the lathe, sandblasted and carved.

“It was a wonderful platform to showcase my work – it introduced me to collectors and galleries that I continue to work with today. The coherence and sophistication of the exhibition was a testament to the work presented and its curation – a compelling blend of experimental ideas, artistry and skill.” - Eleanor Lakelin

Current work

For the last few years Eleanor Lakelin has developed a body of work called ‘Echoes of Amphora.’ Primarily created using Horse Chestnut Burr, this series represents the tension between two dimensions of time and beauty. Firstly, the scale of human civilisation and culture - our search for formal perfection, refinement and balance. Secondly the scale of geological or organic evolution - chaotic, vital, imperfect, surging - a disruption of tidy order. Pieces from the ‘Echoes of Amphora’ series and other works in Horse Chestnut Burr have been exhibited widely including Collect, PAD London, Salon Art + Design New York and have been acquired for permanent collections in museums including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Museum of London and Mint Museum, USA.

Eleanor Lakelin has also continued to develop works within the ‘Time and Texture’ series and created an award-winning, site-specific ‘Time & Texture’ installation at Forde Abbey as part of ‘A Landscape of Objects,’ curated by Flow Gallery. The carved work ‘Ferrous Shift’ was selected by the Michelangelo Foundation for Homo Faber, Venice in 2018 - a showcase of fine contemporary and rare craftsmanship and its link to the world of creativity and design. An installation from the ‘Time & Texture’ series was also exhibited at the British House for the Rio Olympics.

She is currently developing new sculptural work for her first major UK Solo Show at Sarah Myerscough Gallery this autumn.

Echoes of Amphora By Eleanor Lakelin

If you would like to make an enquiry about Eleanor Lakelin and commissions, get in touch here or visit her website http://eleanorlakelin.com/