Do you remember the first object you made?
There are two 'first' objects I vividly remember. A small box out of pearwood I made on my self-made lathe in 1986 – it was a present for my youngest daughter. In 2009, it was a tiny vessel out of bright sycamore wood: a traditional cylindrical shape with a slim body, a lid and an untreated surface.
Why is nature an inspiration?
Strolling around the unspoilt landscape of my home village, Pritzwalk, inspires me to make objects out of domestic wood. They mostly have plain and simple shapes, almost no decoration and no artistic acrobatics. Sometimes I incorporate a tiny twig as a symbol of nature.
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How do you go about creating your pieces?
I have to create the object in my mind’s eye before I switch on the lathe. As soon as I know precisely what I want, the production starts. My workshop is very small but tidy – everything has its place. I always work in my Dutch clogs – some kind of quirky ritual that enhances my focus.
How do you combine tradition and innovation?
The traditional part of my work is the process itself – everything is handmade on my traditional, manual lathe. Besides the design, distribution and marketing are very much related to innovation. Therefore, my slogan is 'old handicraft, modern sales'.