A Shift in Direction: From Why Not Wood to the Studio

A Shift in Direction

For the past few years, my work has been shared under the name Why Not Wood.

It started simply. A way to explore ideas, test materials, and make without overthinking it. The name reflected that—open, instinctive, and driven by curiosity more than direction.

I’ve always worked intuitively.

Not from a formal path, but through making—learning by doing, through repetition, mistakes, and persistence. Every technique, every process has been built over time in the workshop, piece by piece.

That way of working hasn’t changed. But the work itself has.

The Work Now

Over time, the process has slowed.

Each piece carries more weight—drawing on everything learned along the way. Skills, techniques, and decisions aren’t separate anymore, they’re integrated into the work as a whole.

There’s less reaction, more resolution.

A clearer sense of when something is right—and just as importantly, when it isn’t.

Nothing leaves the workshop unless it feels complete.

Moving Forward

Mathew Gardner Studio marks that shift.

Not a reinvention, but a more honest reflection of the work as it stands now.

The focus is on making fewer pieces, with greater care. Allowing the material and the form to lead, without forcing outcome.

There’s a stronger commitment to integrity—in the process, and in the final piece.

What Remains

It’s still the same way of working at its core.

Intuitive in its beginnings. Integrated in its making.

Resolved in its outcome.

Looking Ahead

Going forward, the work will be released in smaller, more considered collections, alongside one-off pieces and exhibitions.

This space will also be used to share more of the process—how pieces develop, and the thinking behind them.

A Continuation

If you’ve followed the journey from Why Not Wood, thank you.

This isn’t a departure from that—it’s a continuation, with a clearer sense of direction.