Ballyshane Irish Hardwood

William McHutcheon and Cheryl Stanley create beautiful wooden pieces, handcrafted using locally sourced Irish Hardwoods. William’s father always harbored a passion for woodturning, coming from two generations of master craftsmen. Together, they’d spend hours discussing the merits of different techniques and types of wood. From cherished memories and learning such as these, Ballyshane Studio was born.

William and Cheryl’s home in Ballyshane has provided much of the inspiration for their work. Their gorgeous cottage, surrounded by beautiful forestry is filled with the most incredible large bowls, boards and vessels all produced by William.

Woodturning has always been a burning passion for William and he has spent the last 14 years honing his craft, working with some of Ireland’s leading companies along the way. One can’t help but be immediately drawn to the objects he makes, the incredible craftsmanship, and obvious love for the material. He works predominantly in native hardwoods reclaimed when possible and cites a particular fondness for Irish beech.

Ireland has an incredibly strong craft heritage and it was a mutual love for this that drew William and Cheryl together. Cheryl grew up standing on a tin of paint selling everything and anything in her parents hardware store, so it was only a matter of time before she combined this talent with her passion for Irish design and craft. Ballyshane is the perfect combination of William’s lifelong passion for woodturning and Cheryl’s entrepreneurial spirit.