timber treasures — mark bishop – burl boxes

New timber boxes by Mark Bishop, one of Tasmania’s most celebrated furniture makers, are treasures to last a lifetime. But this collection also evokes imagery of Dark Mofo: glowing embers, blackened fire pits and the quiet drama of scorched timber.

These are works of art. Golden lids of twisted burl set upon blackened plinth-like containers. “Finding burl is like unearthing a diamond. Only one in a million trees has it,” Mark explains. Burl is a small tumour-like growth that forms on a tree when it is distressed. “Ironically, the prettiest timber comes from the ugliest trees. Trees that are contorted and twisted have the most interesting patterns, and I am honouring that disfigurement.”

The burl lids, with their extraordinary patterns shaped by nature, come from Mallee trees. The containers are crafted from scorched eucalyptus. “I burn the timber with an LPG gas burner, and the line between a wonderful finish and ash is very fine indeed!”

“Making boxes is an interesting exercise, and for this collection I have produced varying shapes and sizes with specific uses in mind. The long, narrow boxes are ideal for A4 documents, while the big square boxes are perfect for a bottle of whisky!”