A NOTE ON EBONY 1.19.21

by Emily Wheeler

Ebony is an especially dark, strong, dense wood, and has been used for centuries in sculpture, furniture, construction and jewelry. However, ebony is now endangered and the harvesting of these trees is extremely damaging to their natural habitats. It cannot be sustainably sourced as a new material today.

Towards the beginning of 2020, Emily searched for months to find a source for recycled ebony. She found a sculptor in the United States who had purchased a large log of ebony in the 1980s to make the above piece from. He had a significant portion left over, and Emily purchased all of the leftover material from him. All of the pieces Emily creates using ebony for the next several years will be carved from this sustainably sourced material.

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