Timber artist unleashes his electric powers
Zilzie father mimics forces of natures to make his mark on one-off pieces
Rockhampton
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AMONG the more traditional timber wares on display during the Festival of the Bazaar in June, James Bourke's fractal pieces had a distinct Frankenstein-like flair.
His recycled timber products are treated with electrical currents to unleash beautifully random patterns along the grain.
He achieves the effect by clipping each panel, usually a recycled pallet, onto two conductors and bathing the timber with a watery solution.
Flip the switch and ZAP, the power burns its way from the outside in, rendering each piece with its own distinctive lightning-like patterns.
"I don't control the electrical current so each piece is very much an individual,” Mr Bourke said.
"It can take up to a minute; the current travels at its own speed.”
The festival was Mr Bourke's first markets since he "made it official” by launching his Facebook page in January.
It's a far cry from his previous work as a tree lopper and logger.
The Rockhampton-raised father, who enjoyed manual arts at school, is having a go at furniture-making as his full-time career.
Out of his shed at home in Zilzie, he sources his timber from recycled pallets as well as from a mate from Alpha. "He brings me in the timber burls which make for beautiful big serving bowls or just decoration.” Mr Bourke said.
He admits it's thrilling to watch the timber smoke and blacken along the random paths scientists call Lichtenberg patterns.
"Sometimes the timber starts to catch fire a little,” he said.
(This is strictly not something to try yourself at home; fractal burning has killed people in the US.)
Mr Bourke makes larger pieces that incorporate unmarked timber with accents of the jagged lightning-like tracery. He also uses recycled cutlery and industrial clips as handles and drawer pulls.
His favourite piece to date, one which he admits pained him to sell, was a wine chair.
With a drawer under its seat to stash your bottles, and glass holders in the armrests, a wine chair sounds like just the thing to while the time away in at the next Rockhampton festival day.
Originally published as Timber artist unleashes his electric powers
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