Kerry Blakey

Kerry creates quirky handmade wooden sculptures which radiate positivity and joy, both in their aesthetic and knowing they are made from locally found salvaged materials. All her pieces naturally lift your mood and tell a unique story.

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Believing that sustainable and handmade creating and gifting has its part to play, Kerry enjoys knowing that receiving something handmade with a nod to the planet can truly warm hearts, minds and souls. Kerry works from a small studio in her hometown of Perth under the name Rock & Thistle.

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Aesthetic

Kerry’s mini wooden sculptures evoke a feeling of escape, whether to a harbour-side cottage, a coorie cabin within a nurturing forest or a wee bothy nestled in the hills. Guided by her love of natural textures, her pieces feature a combination of natural rustic wood foraged from a seaside or woodland walk and sometimes waste pieces from local trades. As they evolve, each developing its own wee story, Kerry may introduce any number of other materials including spent slate, rusty nails and vintage fabrics. Many of her designs are unwittingly inspired by the different places Kerry has lived, including by the sea and overseas, and her strong love of coastal and forest wild spaces, the latter being plentiful in Perthshire. 

Practice

Kerry can be easily spotted on her foraging walks by her brightly coloured beanie hats, as she collects driftwood and other bits and pieces. Her young family are well briefed on what to look out for, so everyone gets involved.  The design process begins with collating various elements and working out how to combine them to create a sculpture.  Then Kerry works on each piece bringing it back to life, washing, treating the wood with natural lemon juice and vinegar, drying them in the sunshine (when available), sanding, painting and waxing before constructing each scene. 

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Once assembled the finishing touches add individual character, such as a blue weathered door, some vintage fabric roof tops or old nails as fence posts. Each element lovingly upcycled into something new, truly a one off.   Kerry’s studio time is nourished by regular cups of tea and the (sometimes annoying) help of her studio pal Percy, her wire haired dachshund, who thinks each piece of wood belongs to him!

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Kerry’s love of upcycling means she’s often experimenting with creating other items and also enjoys making earrings from offcuts as well as working on custom designs. 

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Location & Links

Perth