Twigs-n-turning begins with my very first bowl, which was thoughtfully crafted from epoxy resin and natural twigs. This unique creation not only sparked my creative journey but also inspired the name of my brand. No matter how my designs may evolve and transform over time, the essence of that original piece will always remain an integral part of my brand's identity and story.

My journey began with a work placement in 2018 at Chris Clark's wooden surfboard workshop. Upon entering, I was drawn to a wood lathe, which reminded me of using one in secondary school to make a wooden UFO. Instead of just learning from Chris, he allowed me to experiment. With little knowledge but determination, and Chris's expertise in epoxy resins, I created my first bowl. I was incredibly proud, realizing a passion for turning had been ignited within me, and I knew I wanted to continue making.

The journey continued with me managing to find a cheap second-hand lathe; I just had nowhere to put it. However, I was again extremely fortunate to have some kind people around me. The family of a former partner allowed me to use the corner of their garage to experiment and develop my newfound passion. This was, and is, a massive part of my story and journey, and without the generosity shown to me, I may never have been able to cultivate my love for woodworking.

Shown above is my first lathe, and actually a lot of firsts in my life.

It was my first piece of equipment, my first proper chance to develop a skill, and also the first time I felt a passion and drive like this for any one thing.

Over the following years, I reinvested everything I earned from my two part-time jobs into new machinery, tools, and materials. I worked every evening and weekend to try to get closer to where I wanted to be. Six years later, I’m still following this model of reinvesting everything I make back into my craft.

Before I moved to my own workshop, another motivating and validating event was my entry into the Great British Woodturners Association’s Young Woodturner of the Year competition. I was fortunate enough to win second place and was invited to the Oxo Gallery in London to see my work exhibited.

This experience encouraged me to believe that what I was trying to create and achieve was actually possible.

I went from receiving support from family and friends who told me my work was good to experiencing an entirely different level of validation. This has greatly impacted my journey and is a wonderful moment to reflect on.

This chapter felt like the biggest change for me. In April of 2019, at the age of 19 and after being in the garage for a year, I made the decision to take a leap of faith and lease my own workshop. This was a significant step and commitment for me and one of the best decisions I’ve made to date.

I felt like I had outgrown my previous space after being there for almost a year, and I also felt that it was unfair for me to keep relying on others. It is also important for me, personally, to have an element of jeopardy, and I found that having bills to pay was a great source of motivation that made me even more proactive.

The biggest thing for me looking back, which is still one of my favorite elements, is the importance of having one's own space. I had the chance to develop an environment that was completely my own, where I controlled every aspect—from when I arrived and left to exactly where I wanted to put things. This created an extremely positive environment for my creative process.

During the height of the pandemic in May of 2020, I found myself limited by my current workshop space. Having proven to myself over the course of a year that having my own workshop was indeed the correct decision, I once again made a risky choice to transition to a bigger, more functional workspace, which I stayed in for two years. Within that space, I started to transition to larger-scale pieces, and with my workshop being on the first floor, moving large pieces of wood proved challenging.

I am now in my third workshop and fourth workspace, which offers more space and ground-floor access, and this has proven to be extremely beneficial for me.

I think we can all question whether we’re doing the right thing at certain points, but any element of doubt I have is immediately quashed as I step into my workshop each day and start to create.

It truly is my happy place.

As of 2024, I am currently working at The Newt in Somerset, a beautiful country estate and hotel. As a member of the woodland team, I have the opportunity to work with every aspect of timber from start to finish; I get to plant, care for, maintain, and manage every aspect of trees, which helps me better connect with and understand the making process. This is a full-time job, which means I continue to run my business in my own time, dedicating my evenings and weekends to create what I love. The quality and style of my work continue to improve day by day, and I am now at a point where I truly believe that my work is not only unique and beautiful but also well made to the highest standards. I am really proud of my journey so far.

Of course, no one knows what the future truly holds, but we can at least hope and dream.

I hope that in the future, I will be able to commit to my full-time profession as an artist when the time is right and my craft has developed to a point where it has branched out into the correct avenues. People often say, "Find something you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life." Now, I have to admit, this journey hasn’t been a walk in the park, but that doesn’t mean I would change a single thing.

The satisfaction I get from knowing that everything I’ve learned and made has come from being entirely self-taught is incredible.

I’d also like to say that if you consider buying from or supporting me in any way, then you are one of the people directly contributing to me edging just a bit closer to making my dream a reality. You are positioning me in the extremely fortunate position of turning my true passion into my job, which brings me back to…

“Find something you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” I truly believe this is possible with your help.

I really do look forward to what the future holds.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

Ethan.