by Will Cottrell | Mar 30, 2026 | Writing
Bamboo Surface Transformations Surface transformations aligned with the stages of alchemical and psychological development: black, white, yellow, and red. Each colour emerges through a specific material operation. The black of nigredo is achieved through burning: soot...
by Will Cottrell | Mar 18, 2026 | Writing
Working thematically and in Series I am greatly influenced by Henry Moore’s idea of a form having a “power of expression.” I work until I recognise that a structure carries this expressive force. For Carl Jung, the power in an expression lies in its psychological...
by Will Cottrell | Mar 13, 2026 | Material Investigation, Writing
Form Studies: Bamboo Hyperbolic Paraboloids Often used in contemporary Asian bamboo architecture, a hyperbolic paraboloid is a doubly-curved surface, simultaneously concave and convex. This deceptively complex form is actually made entirely from straight lines. Every...
by Will Cottrell | Mar 13, 2026 | Writing
Working with Irregularity There’s often a tension between human conception and working with natural materials. The ‘random weave’ technique, in particular (involves no plan, fixings, lashing) invites me to just go where the bamboo wants to go. In...
by Will Cottrell | Mar 11, 2026 | Writing
Studio Process & Materials My studio is a laboratory for exploring what bamboo can become through structure, sculpture, and experiment. It is a space of creating, testing, and discovery, where whole poles, offcuts and bamboo products are used to investigate the...
