Description
Ember Hollow — Apple Wood Sculpture with Charred Interior
Ember Hollow is a one-of-a-kind abstract wood sculpture, hand-carved from solid apple wood and shaped through contrast — between a smooth, dark exterior and the raw depth of a fire-charred hollow.
Its outer surface catches the light softly, shifting between warm brown, charcoal, and near-black. Inside, the burned wood behaves differently. It holds the shadow, drawing the eye deeper into the form.
There is stillness in Ember Hollow, but not complete stillness. The curves, opening and changing surfaces create a quiet sense of movement — something held within rather than openly expressed.
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.
I refined the outer surfaces by hand and finished them with dark Osmo wax. The wax gives the apple wood its deep colour without completely hiding the material beneath it. Depending on the light, warm brown can emerge from what at first appears almost black.
The inner hollow was treated differently.
Here, I used fire to char the wood, then worked with the burned surface rather than smoothing it away. Its irregular texture retains the physical trace of heat and carving, absorbing light instead of reflecting it.
For me, this contrast became an important part of the sculpture. Smoothness meets roughness. A surface that responds to light surrounds an interior that seems to hold it.
Both belong to the same piece of apple wood.
A narrow opening within the form can hold a dried branch or flower, allowing another 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 colour and grain, while the charred hollow remains deeper and more elusive. As the direction of light changes throughout the day, the relationship between the two surfaces changes with it.
In a calm, gallery-like interior, the sculpture has space to reveal these differences slowly. It feels particularly at home among natural materials — stone, linen, wood, concrete — and in spaces where light and shadow are allowed to become part of the composition.
A dried branch can extend the sculpture vertically and introduce another line into the form. Without it, the hollow itself becomes the focus: a dark interior held within the solid wooden body.
There is something deliberately restrained about Ember Hollow. Its presence comes not from 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 a single piece of solid apple wood.
Natural variations in colour and grain, small irregularities, and traces left by carving and fire are intentionally preserved as part of the work.
The sculpture is signed and dated by the artist and will not be reproduced.
All photographs show the actual sculpture photographed in natural light. No AI-generated images or renders are used.
The wood is responsibly sourced.
“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, fire-charred interior
Surface: Smooth matte 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
Ember Hollow 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. 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.