This is a view into the possibilities of thermally modified wood. A relatively new sustainable process, thermal modification begins with steam-heating domestically-sourced wood to over 400﮿ F. The wood turns a dark shade of brown, resists decay from rot and insects, and becomes much more stable. I began this project by CNC-routing a series of ash wood vessels, and placed them outdoors in the sun, rain, wind, and dirt. Noting the impact the elements had on the samples, I made a series of furniture, sculptures, and drawings that are activated by the environment.

While these works follow different avenues of inquiry, they share a constant – water. The presence of water - both inside wood and from its surroundings - is what causes wood to break down. Thermal modification allows wood to better resist the destructive impact of water. Everything is this body of work is designed to be activated by water. Furniture and sculpture will guide rainwater over and through them, and use reactive materials like copper that will patina over time. The drawings and prints are made with an ink I distilled from the wood. It is the dark, caramelized product of the thermal modification process.