What made you fall in love with wood sculpting?
Along a hiking trail in my native Carinthian mountains was a larger-than-life sculpture made of larch wood which I often walked past as a child. I was fascinated by the design, the technique, and the wood. At some point, I just knew I also wanted to make wooden sculptures.
What triggered the creation of your first object?
I had a tiny apartment but needed space for computer work. So I made myself a small table. It represents my search for alternatives in design and problem-solving. It is functional, extravagant and yet reserved. I love this table and would never part with it.
What is distinctive about your work?
I do not use machines. From felling trees with an axe and saw to the finished object, I only work with traditional tools such as hatchet, drawknife, spokeshave, chisel and mallet. I see trees as a counterpart, as friends, and in my designs, I want to give them a new life.
What do you love most about working with wood?
I love the connection of thinking, with the whole body, and producing an artefact that can exist independently. While the challenges never stop, there is always something new to discover. Wood as a material presents great individuality that I engage and dialogue with.