Description
Ember Hollow — Charred Apple Wood Sculpture
Ember Hollow is a one-of-a-kind abstract wood sculpture, hand-carved from solid apple wood and shaped through contrast.
Between smooth surfaces and charred depth.
Between stillness and a subtle sense of movement held within the form.
Its dark exterior catches the light softly, while the burned inner hollow seems to absorb it. What appears quiet from a distance gradually reveals changes in texture, depth, and shadow.
It does not seek attention.
It allows it to emerge.
Process & Material
Ember Hollow was not planned.
I began carving without sketches or a fixed design, allowing the apple wood itself to influence each decision. I followed the grain, the resistance of the material and the direction that began to emerge as I worked.
The form developed gradually — through carving, looking, turning the piece in my hands, and responding again.
The outer surfaces were refined by hand and finished with a dark natural wax. Their colour shifts with the light, moving between warm brown, charcoal and areas that appear almost black.
The inner hollow was shaped differently.
I used fire to char the wood using the yakisugi technique, then worked the burned surface by hand rather than smoothing it away. The resulting texture retains the physical trace of fire and absorbs light instead of reflecting it.
The contrast between these surfaces is not simply decorative. The smooth exterior and charred interior reveal two very different expressions of the same piece of apple wood — one shaped through refinement, the other through fire.
A narrow opening within the form can hold a dried branch or flower, allowing a natural element to become temporarily part of the composition. Ember Hollow remains complete, however, when displayed entirely on its own.
Presence in Space
Ember Hollow changes quietly with its surroundings.
In natural light, the smooth outer planes reveal subtle variations in the dark finish, while the charred hollow remains deeper and more elusive. As the direction of light changes, the relationship between the two surfaces changes with it.
Its presence works especially well in calm, gallery-like interiors where natural materials and open space allow the form to breathe — alongside stone, linen, wood, concrete or softly textured walls.
A dried branch can extend the sculpture vertically and introduce another line into the composition, but without it, the hollow itself becomes the focus: a dark interior held within the solid wooden form.
There is something deliberately restrained about Ember Hollow. Its presence comes not from scale or ornament, but from material, shadow and the tension between what reflects light and what holds it.
Authenticity
Ember Hollow is a one-of-a-kind sculpture, carved entirely by hand from solid apple wood.
Natural variations, grain, small irregularities and traces created during the carving and charring process are intentionally preserved as part of the work.
The sculpture is signed and dated by the artist.
All photographs show the actual piece in natural light. No AI-generated images or renders are used.
The wood is responsibly sourced, and this form will not be reproduced.
“I don’t just carve wood. I carve what I feel — and the wood responds.”
— Ewelina Głowacz
Technical Details
Title: Ember Hollow
Material: Solid apple wood
Finish: Dark Osmo wax
Technique: Hand carving, yakisugi / charred interior
Surface: Matte smooth exterior with textured charred interior
Height: 30 cm / 11.8 in
Width: 16 cm / 6.3 in
Depth: 14 cm / 5.5 in
Opening: 2 cm diameter × approx. 17 cm depth
Weight: Approx. 2 kg
Signature: Signed and dated by the artist
Edition: One of a kind — no reproductions
Shipping
This sculpture is ready to ship directly from my studio in Poland.
European Union
Free shipping is included for selected EU countries.
United States, Canada, United Kingdom & Switzerland
Shipping is available directly through this website. The shipping cost is calculated at checkout according to the size of the sculpture and its individual packaging requirements.
Each sculpture is carefully packed in reinforced protective packaging and shipped with tracking and insurance.
For destinations not currently available at checkout, international collectors can also purchase through my Etsy shop.
A VAT invoice is included with every order. Please note that orders shipped outside the European Union may be subject to local import duties, taxes or customs fees according to the regulations of the destination country.