How did you choose this craft as your career?
I have been working with wood since I was a child. I used to pick up driftwood that floated in the water on my way home from school. I collected as much as I could and made art for days with all the nails I could find in my dad's workshop on the farm.
What inspired you to create spherical objects?
I look around for hidden treasures every day and most of those perfect combinations I found in nature. Whenever I stand in front of my spheres, I feel the attraction, like it has its own gravity field along with the combination of different structures, sounds, form and colour.
© Niccola.be
What advice would you give to a young craftsperson?
To overcome the fear of exhibiting their work, as I myself was afraid to do. The world needs people who are hungry for craftsmanship, so share your knowledge and ideas, and try to get as much as possible from others, so you might be able to pass it on later.
Do you consider your craft to be a victim of modern technology?
Nowadays, a lot of things are made with CNC machines, 3D printers, laser cutters and so on. But a machine can do only so much. There's no substitute for things that are made by human hands, the emotion connected with the final product is not possible to recreate with a machine.