TAKAHASHI MCGIL
Photo: James Skeffington
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Based in Cockington, Devon, the husband and wife team behind Takahashi McGil create functional homeware and furniture made from a mix of local or sustainable hardwoods.
South African born Mark McGilvray and Kaori Takahashi from Japan both graduated in Fine Art at the Wimbledon School of Art. Though they started making simple pieces for themselves, their craft has now happily become their livelihood. In their Devon studio, they combine time-honoured Japanese traditions honed in Tokyo with western techniques.
Together they plane, chisel, turn, wax and lacquer with great precision and attention to detail. Each considered piece celebrates the natural beauty of the material.
Kaori and Mark spent the summer of 2018 in Japan, learning the art of urushi lacquering. Urushi is lacquer made from the sap of a tree and makes the wood waterproof as well as adding strength. They both work on the same pieces but Mark is more likely to have done the turning and Kaori will have used the chisels. Regardless of the distribution of labour, the work is beautiful to look at and a delight to handle. Takahashi McGil’s furniture is now only made to commission with the smaller pieces having taken over as the larger part of their output.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Working collaboratively, husband and wife team Takahashi McGil explore the meeting point between sculpture, craft and the living qualities of wood. Their practice is rooted in a respect for traditional Japanese woodworking techniques while responding to the landscapes and hardwoods of the British countryside. Each piece begins with the character of the timber itself—its grain, knots, fissures and subtle irregularities—which guides the making rather than being forced into a predetermined form.
The artists embrace the natural movement of green wood, allowing time, drying and material behaviour to become active participants in the finished work. Cracks, distortions and changes are not concealed but celebrated as evidence of the wood's history and continued life. Through careful hand-carving and the application of traditional urushi lacquer, they reveal the depth, texture and warmth inherent in each object.
Balancing utility with sculpture, their vessels invite both contemplation and touch. Their work reflects a philosophy of restraint, patience and attentiveness, where beauty emerges through simplicity, craftsmanship and an acceptance of imperfection. Rather than imposing form upon nature, Takahashi McGil seek a dialogue with it, creating objects that embody harmony between human making and the enduring rhythms of the natural world.
Kaori and Mark McGil, July 2026
turned and hand carved ash
hard wax oil
17.5 × 8 cm
Artist
Takahashi McGil
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