Profile
I began to turn wood in England in 1970 at the age of 26 and after a successful career in the London wine trade. I was never a hobby turner. When I decided to turn wood for a living late in 1969 I knew nothing of the craft other than it involved a lathe and tools with long handles. I reckoned that if I enjoyed the craft all I had to do was develop good technical skills and marketing, and I’d earn a decent living selling what I enjoy making. And that that’s what I’ve done since mid-1970, first in England, then, from 1982, Australia. Being the only turner juried into The Craftsman’s Art, a seminal exhibition in London in 1973, was a great boost to my career as that led to my bowls being in a lot of major exhibitions and on the British Crafts Council Slide Index Selection Panel from 1973 to 1980.
In 1970 I had to create a market for the one-off bowls I inevitably produced as a novice, but after two sales trips I got repeat orders. I was turning utilitarian bowls, scoops, and plates that sold to kitchen, gift, and souvenir shops; and I also sold a lot of delicate bowls, scoops, and boxes to gift shops and craft galleries. I never needed to consign work and that’s why I’ve seldom had work in American galleries. Immigrating to Australia was risky business-wise because I had to start over in a new environment, but fortunately that didn’t take too long.
I began teaching formally in 1978 when Highland Craftpoint, in Scotland, asked me to advise embryo craft businesses in the Highlands and Islands. Apart from that I did very little teaching until I became a regular presenter for Dale Nish at the Utah Woodturning Symposiums in the 1980s; then demand took off after my book and video Turning Wood with Richard Raffan were published in 1985. Subsequent books and videos increased requests for me to lead workshops, and, although I enjoy teaching, it’s only ever been ancillary to my woodturning business and a welcome change from my workshop routine.
I am proud of the fact that, unlike so many in the arts and crafts community, I have always been able to earn a good living by selling what I make (rather than teaching to pay the bills). But now, after forty years of turning wood, and as I drift into my retirement years, I’m moving away from the lathe and making a few little boats and other stuff using wood and found bits and pieces — and having a great time.
EXHIBITIONS and COLLECTIONS
Richard Raffan has work in many public and private collections including: British Crafts Council, London; the New Parliament House and National Gallery Collections, Canberra; The Power House Museum, Sydney; Victorian State Craft Collection, Melbourne; Major group and one-man shows include:
Sydney Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Artisans in the Gardens
2010 Sturt Gallery, Mittagong, NSW. Richard Raffan + Terry Baker: Casting Off
Sydney Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Kauri Project
Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, Massachusetts, USA. Boxes and Their Makers
Narek Galleries, Tanja, NSW. One-Man Show: More Than Bowls
2009 Messler Gallery, Rockport, Maine, USA. Boxes and Their Makers
Narek Galleries, Tanja, NSW. Masterpieces in Wood 3
2008 Canberra. Treasures in Timber
2007 Melbourne. Still Life: An Exhibition of Fine Wood Design
Philadelphia, USA. Coming of Age: Emerging and Established Wood Artists
Tanja, NSW. Narek Galleries. Masterpieces in Wood 2
2006 Melbourne. Living With Wood
Sydney, Botanic Gardens. Artisans in the Gardens
Kilkenny, Ireland. Crafts Council of Ireland. Tracing The Line
Grafton, NSW. Artsfest
2005 Melbourne. Woodworks 2005
Tanja, NSW. Narek Galleries. Masterpieces in Wood.
Bungendore Woodworks, NSW. Richard Raffan +Terry Baker
2004 Darwin. Framed Gallery. Paprika Coloured Country.
Provo, Utah. Beneath The Bark.
2003 Bungendore, NSW. Something Special.
Puy St. Martin, France. Tournage Sur Bois 2003.
2002 Launceston, Tasmania. Australian School of Fine Furniture. Treeform.
Hobart, Tasmania. Waterside Gallery. Treeform.
Brisbane. Craft Queensland Gallery.
Provo, Utah, USA. Brigham Young University.
Canberra. Craft ACT: Trademarks.
2001 Batemans Bay. South Coast Woodcraft Awards. (as judge)
Darwin. Framed Gallery One-Man Show
Katherine, NT. The Katherine Gallery One-Man Show
2000 Canberra . Treasures in Timber.
Oldbernhau, Germany.
Provo, Utah, USA. Brigham Young University.
Canberra, Crafts Council. Strength to Strength.
Bungendore Woodworks, Bungendore, NSW. Class Act.
1999 University of Technology, Sydney. Fusions 99.
Distelfink Gallery, Melbourne. One-Man Show
1998 Distelfink Gallery, Melbourne. Contemplating the Bowl.
Akron Art Museum, Ohio, USA. Masterworks of Woodturning.
Sydney, Palm House. Living Treasures - Creative Capital.
Canberra, Link Gallery. One-Man Show
1997 Chicago, USA. SOFA Chicago (with Narek Gallery)
Warwick University, UK. Wonders in Wood.
Crafts Council ACT, Canberra. Turning Point.
San Antonio Museum of Art, Texas, USA. Turned for Use.
Touring Australia 1997/98. Wood Dreaming.
Provo, Utah, USA. Brigham Young University.
Saint-Girons, Ariège, Fance. Le Tournage sur Bois
1996 Bungendore Woodworks, Bungendore, Canberra.
Wentworth Falls, NSW. Pieces of Importance.
Melbourne, Victoria. Living with Wood.
Brisbane, Queensland. Wood Dreaming.
Canberra, Crafts Council. Pieces of Importance.
1995 Wentworth Falls, NSW. Pieces of Importance.
Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra. One-man Show
Warwick University, UK. Wonders in Wood.
1994 Provo, Utah, USA. Brigham Young University.
Melbourne. Art for the Home - Art for the Church.
Canberra. Narek Gallery. Containers and Boxes.
1993 Melbourne. Crafts Victoria, Multiples.
1992 Provo, Utah, USA. Brigham Young University.
Sydney. Australian Craftworks Nikko Gallery. One-man Show
Kyoto, Japan. Asia Pacific Crafts.
1992 Yulara. Sheraton Ayers Rock Gallery. One-Man Show
Darwin. Crafts Council Northern Territory. One-Man Show
1991 Melbourne. De Gruchy Gallery. One-man Show
Kyoto Musem, Japan. Asia Pacific Crafts
Bega. Forestry Awards Show (as judge).
Provo, UT. USA. BYU Symposium.
Beauly, Scotland. Tools of the Trade.
1990 Melbourne. Timber and Working with Wood (as judge)
1989 Melbourne. Timber and Working with Wood (as judge)
Melbourne. Aspects of Contemporary Australian Woodcraft.
1988 Melbourne, Meat Market. Form and Function.
Touring USA. International Turned Objects Show (ITOS).
Canberra. National Gallery, Australian Decorative Arts.
Sydney. Powerhouse Museum. A Free Hand.
Philadelphia, USA. International Turned Objects Show (ITOS)
Mittagong. Sturt Gallery. One-Man Show
Melbourne. Meat Market, The Stuart Devlin Award 1988.
Buxton, England. International Woodturning Conference.
Brisbane. International Woodturning.
Provo, UT, USA. Woodturning Symposium ‘88.
Melbourne Artcraft 88. Craftworks Invitational Award.
Canberra. Narek Galleries, Wood & Clay.
Melbourne. Meat Market, Australian Crafts 88.
1987 Canberra. Narek Galleries. One-Man Show
Melbourne. Woodwrights Gallery. One-man Show
Walford Mill, Dorset, England. Pacemakers.
Provo, UT, USA. Woodturning Symposium 87.
Melbourne. Meat Market, Form & Function Two: The Bowl.
1986 Seattle, WA, USA. Northwest Gallery of Fine Woodworking.
Sydney. Craftworks Gallery, Out of the Woods.
Provo, UT, USA. Woodturning Symposium ‘86.
London. British Crafts Centre. One-Man Show
1985 Sydney. Craftworks Gallery. One-Man Show
Canberra. Narek Galleries, Rhythmic Wood.
Canberra. Expression of Material.
Sydney. Crafts Council, The Evolution of Style.
Melbourne. Meat Market, Australian Crafts ‘85.
1984 Adelaide. Jam Factory, Turned Wooden Objects.
Canberra. Narek Gallery, Profile of Presence.
Hobart. Crafts Council Gallery. Turnstyles.
Canberra. 10 Years of Australian Decorative Arts.
1983 London. British Crafts Centre, Works in Wood.
Shannon, Ireland. Irish Woodturners Conference
Canberra. Narek Galleries. Richard Raffan -100 Bowls.
1982 Sydney. Craftworks. One-Man Show: Art Objects for Daily Use
Sydney. Crafts Council Gallery. Christmas Show.
Sydney. Market Row Gallery. One-Man Show
Sydney. In a Nutshell Gallery. One-Man Show
London. British Crafts Council. The Makers Eye.
January 1982 Emigrated from England to Australia.
London. British Crafts Centre. Wood & Silver.
Boston, USA. Westminster Gallery. Woodworks.
1981 Sunderland Arts, touring England and Scotland. Wood.
Veste Coburg, Germany. Ceramics and Wood.
Bournemouth. Horizon Gallery. One-Man Show
London. Harvest Gallery. Holly Wood in Covent Garden – work by Richard Raffan
Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Crafts Council Gallery. Richard Raffan
Crafts Council Touring England. Crafts South West.
1980 Southampton. City Museum, Alternative Kitchens.
Hamburg, Germany. Kunsthandwerk Museum.
London. Sotherbys Craft Auction.
London. Parnham at the National Theatre.
Parnham, Dorset. International Woodturning Seminar
1979/80 Touring Europe: Worlds Crafts Council,The Bowl.
1979 London. British Crafts Centre, Star Quality.
1979 Brighton. Ogle Gallery. Artists in Wood.
Sheffield. City Museum. Homespun to Highspeed.
London. British Crafts Centre. Production Crafts.
Banbury. Prestcote Gallery. One-Man Show
Totnes. Dartington Cider Press Gallery, One-Man Show
1978 London. Casson Gallery. Boxes
1977 London. British Crafts Centre. Masterpiece Jubilee Exhibition
Melbourne. Crafts Centre, South Yarra. One-Man Show
Mittagong, NSW. Sturt Gallery. One-Man Show
1976 London. Casson Gallery. One-man Show
1975 National Museum of Wales. One-man Show
London. British Crafts Centre. Crafts 75 - A Survey.
1974 Dillington, Somerset. Butlin Gallery.
Exeter University, Devon. One-Man Show
1973 London. British Crafts Centre. Domestic Objects.
London. Victoria & Albert Museum, The Craftsmans Art.
1971/2/3 Chagford, Devon. Chagford Galleries. Richard Raffan