With the Grain - an exhibition and appreciation of Tim Stead at An Tobar Gallery, Isle of Mull from 6th June – 28th July 2006 .

An Tobar is delighted to host a major retrospective exhibition by the late sculptor and furniture maker Tim Stead. Produced by the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh with the kind assistance of Tim’s widow Maggy Lenert, this exhibition attracted some 45 000 visitors during last year’s Edinburgh Festival and has been brought to Mull thanks to Scottish Arts Council Crafts, Calgary Hotel and Forestry Commission Scotland.

Tim Stead’s life’s work extended into many areas, blurring the lines between furniture design and sculpture, business and conservation, poetry and teaching. Until his premature death in 2000 at the age of 48, he worked tirelessly on various and diverse projects but was most famous for the striking sculptures and furniture pieces he created mainly from elm, oak and ash. Many are represented in the With The Grain exhibition at An Tobar.

The memorials to this inspirational man are in the Woodschool he founded near Jedburgh and in the creation of the Borders Community Woodland. Tim Stead created numerous, extraordinary pieces during his lifetime, from chess sets to cabinets to the Throne for Pope John Paul II’s Edinburgh visit in 1982, the Memorial Chapel in the Kirk of St Nicholas in Aberdeen in 1989 and the interior of Café Gandolfi in Glasgow.

His last project was the cladding of the Millennium Clock Tower in 1999 at the Royal Museums, a collaborative project with Eduard Bersudsky from Sharmanka, J Tubbecke, and Annica Sandstrom.

Tim Stead’s tactile sculpture and dramatic furniture appeals to all ages and is testimony to a man who had a passion for wood in all of its manifestations. The exhibition runs until 28th July and is open Monday – Saturday 10am – 5pm and Sundays in July only 1pm – 4pm. 

For more information contact Julie Paton on 01688 302211 or e-mail arts@antobar.co.uk