Willow Charcoal from Somerset Levels

In the misty wetlands of southwest England, you’ll find the willow beds of the Coate family. They’ve been growing willow since 1819, but their production of fine art charcoal dates only to 1960, when the family pivoted from a diminishing demand for willows in basket-making to a growing demand among art students and working artists.

Today, the Coates name means quality charcoal to artists like you and to the many manufacturers who repackage Coates under their own brand names. (There are only so many actual charcoal manufacturers in the world.) All-natural and made with a traditional approach, Coates is feather-light but can be built up into very dark blacks. It’s used in art schools everywhere because it enables the traditional charcoal techniques instructors teach.

This handy package contains 30 assorted sticks of willow charcoal, diameters 3-12 mm, all in half-length. Because charcoal is an agricultural product, every stick is different.