About Liz Pearson

Hello, I’m Liz Pearson, a woodturner based in rural West Berkshire. My work is inspired by, and created from, the beautiful local woodlands.

The traditional process of turning everyday objects from locally sourced timber is very rewarding and a little bit magical. Because of my deep passion for preserving the environment I only work with sustainable natural materials. From these I create toys, gifts and home wares that provide a tangible connection to the natural world.

My work is characterised by its simple forms, celebration of natural materials and an emphasis on tactility.

My story

Turning’s my second career. I left a successful 10 year primary teaching career to study Product Design at Central St. Martin’s in London. It was amazing being at one of the top creative art & design colleges in the country and it was there that I fell in love with turning.

As the wood spins and the tool cuts the material becomes fluid.

Watching the transformation is magical and controlling it makes you the magician.

When I graduated in 2008 I vowed to get my own lathe. Life of course, getting in the way meant that didn’t happen until the summer of 2013, when I finally took delivery of my very own lathe the day before my wedding. My husband-to-be joked we’d be setting it up on our honeymoon. He wasn’t laughing for long though as that’s pretty much what happened.

I’m continually working to improve my turning skills and gain greater control over my material.

A rural childhood

I was lucky enough to grow up in a beautiful part of Scotland called Fife, where I spent a lot of my childhood playing imaginative games in the woods. I learned the names of the trees and always felt safe and happy there. That experience has given me a deep emotional connection to wood.

My mission

It’s increasingly being recognised by scientists that wood has measurable health benefits. Studies have shown it improves blood pressure, heart rate and stress levels. Improvements to a person’s emotional state and level of self-expression have also been recorded. With the spread of urbanisation so many of our lives are increasingly disconnected from nature. I feel it’s my mission to create objects that are a way for people to reconnect.

Complementing my love of natural materials is my deep dislike of synthetic materials and the current systems of mass-manufacture. We now seem to be surrounded by plastic items that may be affordable but in consequence now hold very little real value.

My products are an alternative to soulless, disposable objects. Love HeartWood grew from my passion for the craft tradition and my desire to share an appreciation of the hand made item. By combining my life experience, design training and turning skills I make beautiful, useful items full of character.

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