The Farmyard Table: Wildlife in Wood

Created on Pine

Dimensions: 180cm x 90cm

A pine plank table has been transformed with imagery of the wild birds and animals I encounter daily on the farm. These creatures, especially the badgers and foxes I’ve fed for years, have become part of the fabric of life here. In many ways, they feel like family.

The concept was to create a continuous visual narrative so that no matter where you sit, you’re immersed in your own unique story. Each animal stands alone yet step back and you see how they all connect as part of a larger, living picture.

I learned an important lesson from this table. Because it’s made from separate planks, some animals are split across joins, which breaks the flow of the design. Being soft pine, the wood burns quickly, beautiful in its own way, but less forgiving.

I’m now working on a new piece, a single slab oak table with oak slab legs, providing a wide, uninterrupted surface for burning. Oak isn’t the easiest wood for pyrography due to its pronounced grain and uneven density. The burn can behave unpredictably, and its porous nature can cause slight bleeding or soft edges. Yet the scale and presence of the piece make the extra care more than worthwhile.