matthew reade

Matthew Reade is a wood sculptor and furniture maker who lives and works by the silver sands of Calgary Bay on the Isle of Mull. Raised on a farm in Somerset, he has been carving wood since the age of eleven. Having spent decades immersed in the island’s landscape, his craft is deeply intertwined with his coastal surroundings, drawing inspiration from the sea, hills, and shoreline. Working primarily with native Scottish hardwood -such as Wych Elm, Oak, Beech, and Ash - Reade takes a hands-on approach to every stage of his medium. As part owner of a mobile sawmill, he personally selects, fells, prepares, and dries the timber he uses. His expressive process translates observations of nature into physical forms, using a signature blend of dynamic chainsaw work, precise chisel detailing, burning, and applied colour. His pieces often capture the fleeting motions of tides and wind, along with organic shoreline forms like shells, seaweed, and beach wrack.