A Material Calling

The relationship between a maker and their material is often complicated, marked by awe at its possibilities, frustrations at its constraints, and a continual process of discovery. Jacob Marks knows his material, pine resin, intimately: “I could probably tell where a container of resin comes from just by the way it’s been collected,” he laughs. “Each country has developed its own bucket or bag, some of which are quite makeshift.”

Jacob Marks found this unconventional material by chance. While studying Furniture Design, then making timber-based pieces, he went searching for a natural adhesive to complete a project. He ordered a small packet of pine resin and, intrigued by its biodegradable and renewable properties, started experimenting. Now, he has built a practice around it, producing vessels and functional homeware that balance a primal quality with a refined, contemporary finish.

“It's always been used as a glue or an ingredient, for example, attaching flint to sticks to make hunting spears,” Jacob explains. “But I wondered, how could I work with it to do something different?”

Resin is a natural substance excreted by pine, fir and cedar trees when their bark is damaged, though it can also be carefully harvested without harming the tree. After more than 200 experimental trials, Jacob came to appreciate both its aesthetic appeal and its sustainability. Once hardened, the resin develops a soft translucence and a deep, warm amber hue.

A process of discovery comes with challenges, and one which Jacob has faced is the delicacy of pine resin. “It’s very fragile, so I often combine it with other materials. Paired with paper, it’s really nice and translucent, whereas adding in fibres makes it stronger. Sometimes I use it over wood as a coating – it depends on what you want to get out of it.”

It makes sense that a relatively tricky material would appeal to Jacob, who struggles “to design in a vacuum” and finds physical limitations provide a clear space to start from and work within. “If someone said to me, ‘design a chair or make a lamp,’ I’d find that difficult. When you’re trying to express the quality of a material, I find that really helps with the design process.”

Jacob’s contribution to the TOAST New Makers collection includes both functional and decorative objects, made using pine resin mixed with charcoal and jute fibres to create a range of tones and textures. The first is a handle for attaching to a drawer or door, shaped using a silicone mould and designed to showcase the resin’s tactility. “It’s got a nice responsiveness to it, which means it’s easy to grip,” he explains.

While the handle is practical by nature, the second piece, a sculptural vessel, can be appreciated simply for its appearance. It is loosely inspired by Native American vessels used for carrying water – a nod to pine resin’s waterproof property – and features intentional marks that honour the making process. Wood chips mixed through the resin create a textural finish, while keeping the provenance of the core material close. “With the wood in there, it’s almost like a reconfigured pine tree.” The final product is a sculptural table light which highlights the natural amber tone, designed to cast a warm glow through its translucent surface. Jacob first constructs a paper form before coating it in molten resin. “It needs to be quite sturdy to withstand the dipping,” he explains. “It’s a real process of transformation.”

Transformation is by now a familiar theme in Jacob’s practice, with his craft having moved through many phases, trials and refinements. Though he had been aware of the TOAST New Makers programme for several years, he applied “on a whim,” guided by a sense that the timing was right. “I’ve been working with pine resin for a few years, and I’ve only just reached the point where I feel my pieces could be in people’s homes,” he says. “I’m ready to share them more widely, and I can’t think of a more fitting brand to do that with.”