Roland Fraser

Roland Fraser’s pieces are created entirely from salvaged wood and relief panels and are a combination of marquetry, cabinet making and assemblage. Roland attended St. Andrews University from 1986 to 1990 where he studied Philosophy and Art History before setting up his workshop in 1995 where he both creates his own artworks and teaches woodwork. Roland has exhibited regularly in Scotland and has works in numerous private collections worldwide.

‘My wooden constructions are a synthesis of assemblage, collage and traditional craftsmanship. Timber is culled from old furniture carcasses, farm buildings and skips. I select pieces that have an accumulation of surface markings and general evidence of human traffic. Traces from missing locks, hinges and structural joints also have a particular resonance for me as they refer to previous incarnations. This visceral combination of wear and history imbues the material with an almost totemic quality. The titles of each work refer to the various locations where the fragments used in the work were found, as in ‘Prestongrange’ and ‘Longthorne’. In some of my pieces, the connection between the place and the mood of my work is significant, in others it is more arbitrary. The splicing and editing of original patinated surfaces to create a re-contextualised single entity throws up serious formal challenges. As a musician, these dynamics of rhythm, tension and discord are familiar territory.’ – Roland Fraser.

Roland’s work will be exhibited in our Wood exhibition, 03 – 27 April 2019.