Charles Trevelyan grew up fascinated with the natural textures and color palettes of Western Australia’s wilderness, which both influenced his transition from studying science to the arts and how he favors hand-made maquettes and material experimentation when conceptualizing his sculptural, nature-inspired furniture. From marble tables resembling organic assemblages of smooth pebbles to resin vessels formed by gracefully concentric looped forms, the London-based talent is always looking to push materials to their limits in novel ways that shift our perceptions and shape our emotions.
Age: 50
Occupation: Designer.
Instagram: @charlestrevelyan
Hometown: Perth.
Studio location: London.
Describe what you make: Sculptural furniture and lighting in which experimentation in both form and process plays an integral part in development of the works.
Occupation: Designer.
Instagram: @charlestrevelyan
Hometown: Perth.
Studio location: London.
Describe what you make: Sculptural furniture and lighting in which experimentation in both form and process plays an integral part in development of the works.
The most important thing you’ve designed to date:
I’m not sure if I’ve designed anything that could be considered to be important yet. I hope so, but I guess only time will tell.
Describe the problem your work solves:
Claiming my work solves problems in any wider sense would be a stretch. but it does involve problem solving almost every day—it’s just the problems are mostly small and technical in nature. For the most part, these involve finding solutions to technical or material constraints that would otherwise compromise my ability to realize a concept in a manner that appears both natural and intuitive without compromising functionality.
Describe the project you are working on now:
Two significant projects simultaneously; one a large residential development in which I’m creating a few dozen works in bronze, but that’s unfortunately a project for which there’s a watertight non-disclosure clause so I can’t say any more. The second is a more personal research project in which I’m using scrap material in the casting process in such a way that the resultant flaws become the work’s defining characteristic. It’s inherently more spontaneous and less refined than my usual work, which excites me.
A new or forthcoming project we should know about:
I’m launching three new pieces with Gallery Sally Dan Cuthbert at Design Miami later this year that will hopefully lead to a solo show at the Sydney gallery in late 2025.
What you absolutely must have in your studio:
New music, fresh coffee, solitude, and a wide range of different materials to experiment with.
What you do when you’re not working:
Off-road cycling and making obscure electronic music with modular synthesizers.
Sources of creative envy:
So many it’s difficult to single any out. Often, they’re clever details or creative material usage I see on another piece, or perhaps a very innovative solution to a problem. Sometimes it’s nothing more than a piece of music that really grabs my ear.
The distraction you want to eliminate:
Distraction is important to my work process and I try to deliberately introduce distractions to drag me off the well-worn path. Doing so can prompt ideas that may otherwise have not emerged or take the process to unfamiliar territory from which new concepts can arise. That said, I could definitely do without having to ever go through another round of calibrations and text prints to fix a 3D printer.
So many it’s difficult to single any out. Often, they’re clever details or creative material usage I see on another piece, or perhaps a very innovative solution to a problem. Sometimes it’s nothing more than a piece of music that really grabs my ear.
The distraction you want to eliminate:
Distraction is important to my work process and I try to deliberately introduce distractions to drag me off the well-worn path. Doing so can prompt ideas that may otherwise have not emerged or take the process to unfamiliar territory from which new concepts can arise. That said, I could definitely do without having to ever go through another round of calibrations and text prints to fix a 3D printer.
Concrete or marble? - Can I choose both?
High-rise or townhouse? - Townhouse, unless the view is particularly good from the high-rise.
High-rise or townhouse? - Townhouse, unless the view is particularly good from the high-rise.
Remember or forget? - Mostly forget, which isn’t always a bad thing.
Aliens or ghosts? - Neither.
Dark or light? - Dark.
Aliens or ghosts? - Neither.
Dark or light? - Dark.
