Profile

Personal profile

Mark Newson - a furniture designer maker based in Buckinghamshire

My interest in wood dates back to my school days where I had an inspirational woodwork master. Whilst at school I made a table and waste bin for the school foyer. However, its being a Grammar School meant a career in a trade was frowned upon and being a ‘sensible’ boy, I took a ‘safe’ career in retail banking. Twenty-five years later I was facing ‘voluntary’ redundancy.

Now not being so ‘sensible’ and not that much of a boy it was time for a change in career so in 1997 I enrolled on a one year furniture restoration and designing and making course at Rycotewood College in Thame. I enjoyed myself finding that I was one of the more able students and finished the year having won the prize for the best piece of contemporary design at the year-end show.

Buoyed up by this I set off as self employed and have since then been either dealing directly with my clients, working jointly with other designer makers or collaborating with designers to bring their ideas to reality. This has allowed me to explore a wide range of ideas for furniture design and creation, and techniques to the advantage of the service I can give my customers in Greater London, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire.

Examples of my work have been included in ‘Bespoke: Source Book of Furniture Designer Makers’ by Betty Norbury.
I have taken part in a variety of exhibitions including the following:
  • Handmade in Britain
  • Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design
  • Bucks Open Studios
  • Purple Leaf at Stoke Park
  • Sulgrave Manor Annual Selected Open Exhibition
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