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Alex Johnston
Alex Johnston
Crafting Form from Nature’s Truths
Crafting Form from Nature’s Truths
Alexander Johnston is an Irish designer and maker whose work reflects a deep sensitivity to natural materials and an intuitive, sculptural approach to furniture design.
Alex joined our Designer Maker course at Waters & Acland with a clear passion for working with timber and an eagerness to explore its creative possibilities. He quickly demonstrated a highly intuitive approach to making and a meticulous attention to detail. After completing his training with us, he produced a series of contemporary fine furniture pieces for the Waters & Acland studio before moving on to Peter Hall & Son — an esteemed workshop known for its Arts & Crafts legacy. There, he developed his technical knowledge further, refining his skills in traditional cabinetmaking and deepening his understanding of construction principles.
Since then, Alex has continued to evolve as a maker, drawing inspiration from organic form, traditional processes, and the raw beauty of timber in its natural state. In his personal work, he often incorporates techniques borrowed from other craft traditions — such as cleaving, where timber is split along the grain to reveal expressive and unpredictable textures. These influences combine in furniture that feels alive, emotionally resonant, and entirely his own.
A recent piece titled “Dieback” exemplifies this approach. Created for the Ash Rise exhibition — a project aimed at raising awareness of ash dieback disease — Alex’s work was a powerful meditation on loss, resilience, and the hidden beauty within damaged material.
“My contribution entitled “Dieback” sought to encapsulate the species’ destruction. Each pair of columns represents individual trees, their cores gradually destroyed by the pathogen. Though damaged, this process reveals an inner beauty in the organic patterns, gentle hues and intricate textures exposed. This serves as a reminder that it is only when we see something in its most vulnerable state that we become aware of the great tragedy of its loss.”
“My contribution entitled “Dieback” sought to encapsulate the species’ destruction. Each pair of columns represents individual trees, their cores gradually destroyed by the pathogen. Though damaged, this process reveals an inner beauty in the organic patterns, gentle hues and intricate textures exposed. This serves as a reminder that it is only when we see something in its most vulnerable state that we become aware of the great tragedy of its loss.”
The piece stands as a striking example of Alex’s ability to turn ecological narrative into sculptural furniture — merging environmental awareness with craftsmanship in a way that is both timely and timeless.
Today, working independently in Glasgow, Alex continues to produce expressive, contemporary pieces that challenge the boundary between function and form. His time at Waters & Acland laid the groundwork for a career grounded in thoughtful design, fine cabinetmaking, and a deep reverence for the material at the heart of it all.
To see more of Alex’s work, visit his website — www.alexanderjohnstoncabinetmaker.co.uk — you can follow his progress over on Instagram: @alexanderjohnston_cabinetmaker
Photography credit also to @ben_but1er @lausch.studio & @indrehilara
