This exhibition of sketches, drawings and furniture by Aled Lewis gives an insight into the process of designing and developing ideas into pieces of fine furniture. Craft and design are two inseparable elements of making though the process and the journey to finished work is seldom seen or understood. Aled reveals the ideas and drawings alongside the finished work to provide a glimpse into the creative process.

Aled has been designing and making furniture for over 40 years. He makes special, useful and beautiful pieces of furniture that resolve a design brief elegantly and skilfully, combining functional requirement with an aesthetically pleasing resolution.

Aled grew up on his family’s farm in Machynlleth, he studied furniture making at Rycotewood College in Oxford and after graduating, began his career restoring antique furniture. Later, he worked for furniture makers and designers, including Archie Shine and Robert Heritage. After a period working in the United States and South Africa he returning to the UK and for the next 18 years ran a busy workshop employing a small team of craftsmen designing and making high quality furniture for private, corporate and academic institutions.

In 2001 Aled established a new business in Oxford. He focused on his own designs, exploring new ideas and building on a foundation of a refined design aesthetic. This venture attracted clients willing to trust his skills and expertise to build quality pieces of furniture, whether one of a kind or limited batch productions.

Four years later Aled was approached by the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine, USA to join the faculty as a visiting instructor for the Nine-month Comprehensive Program. In 2009 Aled became the program’s lead instructor. Over the following decade, Aled, together with a team of skilled co-instructors directed a world class program for aspiring furniture makers and the high standard, quality and breadth of student work has become the benchmark by which others are judged.

Aled is Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers. He exhibits work in London and New York and his furniture is in private collections in both the UK and USA.

Aled Lewis- A Furniture Maker & Designer from Jacklyn Grad on Vimeo.