Collection: Davenport's Handmade Woodturning

Artist Ian And Victoria Davenport - Davenport's Handmade:-

Ian and Victoria are an award-winning husband-and-wife team of woodturners based in Leeds, creating beautifully individual pieces that celebrate the natural character, grain and beauty of wood.

Ian’s journey into woodturning began in 2015, during an incredibly difficult period in his life. What started as a way of helping him through depression gradually became something much more. After ill health led him to leave his previous career, Ian made the brave decision to turn his newfound passion into his profession.

Entirely self-taught, Ian developed his craft through determination, experimentation and countless hours at the lathe. Today, his work can be found in collections around the world and he is recognised as an accomplished professional woodturner.

Victoria’s journey began rather differently. Initially joining Ian behind the scenes, she created The Woodturner’s Wife to share their story and work through social media. But spending so much time watching the hypnotic swirl of flying shavings proved irresistible. Before long, Victoria wanted to have a go herself.

With Ian as her mentor, she began developing her own skills at the lathe and discovered not only a natural ability, but a genuine love for the craft. What began as Ian’s passion had become something they could share.

Together, Ian and Victoria have gone on to receive a number of awards recognising both their woodturning and their achievements as a creative business. Both have also been shortlisted for the prestigious Mark Baker Woodturner of the Year competition.

Their home workshop in Leeds is now very much the heart of their working lives. During the week they can usually be found creating new pieces or sharing their knowledge through experience days and advanced courses, while weekends often take them to craft fairs and artisan markets across the North of England.

Every piece they create begins with the wood itself. Rather than disguising its natural characteristics, Ian and Victoria work with them — allowing grain, knots, markings and imperfections to become part of the finished piece. The result is work with warmth, individuality and a character that simply cannot be mass-produced.

We are delighted to showcase their work here at The Acorn Gallery in Pocklington — the only gallery in the UK where you can currently discover and purchase their art.

For us, their work represents exactly what we love about contemporary British craftsmanship: beautiful materials, extraordinary skill and two people creating something genuinely unique together.