Every piece is its own puzzle – How to make the joints? How to strengthen of construction? How should the shape be? And what would be “practical”?
My passion for working with design and furniture started with a desire to solve a practical problem. Meaning and function is the essence of my pieces and all are made with a particular purpose and idea. Many disciplines and considerations are in play: choice of materials, finishing, ergonomics, physical boundaries and not the least – feeling.
After considering the meaning I start playing with ideas in my head and making a few sketches on paper. Depending on the scale of the project I will then do more detailed drawings and maybe even build a couple of miniature models to test if my ideas also work in reality.
Testing different finishes and materials in the workshop is also an active part of every piece – and often I will have the raw timber laying in my shop to feel and observe until “the time is right”. Sometimes the wood will completely change the design ideas as I start working with it. It might be beautiful grain movements or cracks that I think will split the timber in time.
The creative time around the designs often takes just as long or even longer than actually making them in the workshop – it takes time to think and it takes time to feel.