I am the 4th generation of the Humphreys family working with wood. I am a self-taught turner - it started out as a hobby and has developed into a business. I have been woodturning for over 10 years now. My studio is based in the Granary, beside the family home outside Mohill. We have been farming for generations. I use all native timber in my work: yew, beech, oak, elm and ash among others. For me, woodturning is a journey of discovery: acquiring the wood and imagining all its possibilities; the turning process itself; removing the turned piece from the lathe and when the wood has been left to dry for a number of months, rediscovering it again - applying oil to the raw surface and seeing the richness and depth of colour and grain spring magically to life. In 2002 I travelled to New Zealand, arriving home with a range of new tools and implements to enhance my woodturning business. I had been researching woodturning techniques and tools from New Zealand before I travelled so I knew exactly what I was looking for.

Roy Humphreys is passionate about his craft and enjoys the challenge of creating a graceful curved form that will bring out the natural beauty of the wood. Roy's speciality is in containers, bowls, platters, cutting boards and vessels where the emphasis is on functional use, with a purity of form in their design that respects and complements the wood, one of natures recurring treasures. Roy feels there is a common theme running through his work: namely, elegant simplicity. He loves wood for many reasons: warmth, beauty, colour, smell, unpredictability and tactility to name but a few. Roy's company, ga Crafted Wood Products, brings you the craft of the turner: an older tradition but with a contemporary approach. The collection is available in the im Design House and other selected outlets.