Darren Appiagyei

Award-winning craftsman Darren Appiagyei uses the lathe as a means of exploring and experimenting with the materials of nature. Having discovered woodturning all but by accident while studying 3D Design at Camberwell College of Art, Darren returned to the lathe after graduating, fascinated by the way it could be used to draw out and underline the natural character of wood. 

In 2017, his natural affinity for the craft won him a year’s studio space at Cockpit Arts, where he is still based today. Since then Darren has benefited from the Crafts Council’s Hothouse programme and used his practice to explore exotic materials and unusual techniques – his sculptural vessels made from banksia nuts rapidly became signature works, winning him attention from the global crafts scene and places in exhibitions such as ‘300 Objects’ at London Craft Week in 2020. He held first solo show – ‘The Texture of Wood’ – at the Garden Museum in 2021, and has followed it with a packed calendar of international shows. Today, Darren is expanding his practice to incorporate pyrography – the use of fire to create decorative effects on the surface of the wood.

We’ve been fascinated by Darren’s work since the first time we saw it five years ago, and talking to him about his background and story so far convinced us that he really is a one-of-a-kind creative. We’re privileged to support Darren as he completes the transition from ‘emerging talent’ to ‘internationally renowned craftsperson’.