Bog Oak

Short introduction to Bog Oak Bog Oak in today’s terms describe timber which have been unearthed from bog land generally, because of turf cutting or reclamation and were formerly fallen trees which were felled for one reason or another down through the centuries, and were covered by vegetation and slowly over thousands of years evolved into the bogs we know today. The unearthed wood varies between 2,000 and 6,000 thousand years old, and is highly prized by artists today. To put its great age into context, we can go back to the Neolithic period of about 4,000-­­­­­­­­­­­2,500 BC. When the great megalithic tombs of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth of the Boyne Valley were being constructed. Before anything can be crafted form these ancient remains of trees, they have to be allowed to dry for about one to two years, depending on the nature of the drying process and individual timbers. Different types of wood surprisingly turn up; Scot’s pine, oak, and yew are just some of these. Bog Oak is usually dark brown to black in colour, Bog yew varies from dark brown to beige and reddish purple, Pine varies from light red to light brown. Every tree is preserved and undergoes colour changes as a result of being submerged in the peat where, the timber becomes water logged, that deprives it of oxygen and without sunlight the timber is preserved. The process of rejuvenating the unearthed bog oak is left to the craftsman or woman and the long process begins. At first the oak is cleaned down and left to dry out, usually the craftsperson has a few years stock on hand, and works on previous year’s supply that is dried enough to carve. Artists vary in their methods of working on bog oak. To some it is a business and would have a streamline process where machinery and electric tools shorten the process, some might take a more relaxed attitude to working with it, for others it might be a once off labour of love. But the finished artwork in any stage of the process always requires dedication and remarkable attention to detail to create, enhance and finish an antiquated work of art, which would embellish any setting, house, home, office or business.

This oak is naturalized black in colour and came from a Laois bog, completely abstract and natural The sculpture consists of an oval shaped stand and the main piece on top. Sold

Black Oak, Sold

Abstrast Pieta
	This piece for me while strictly abstract and natural, resembles the Pieta, where Mary holds her dead son, Jesus Christ.