Woodturned Objects by Maciek Gasienica Giewont
True to my word, I’ve been hunting down some of the best talent in Europe and other locations outside of Japan. I’ve had some great success so far and a maker that I’ve been chatting to is woodturner Maciek Gasienica Giewont, he was kind enough to send me some fantastic imagery so I’m presenting it in a post today to be admired. Maciek was born in 1974 in Zakopane, Poland, and although he’s a carpenter by trade he says his real passion is woodturning. As you can see by these images above and below.
His woodturning adventure started in the mid-90’s, and his works can now be found in many private collections all over the world. It’s obvious to see that he uses the natural qualities of the wood to create a striking but rustic looking vessel. These so called ‘defects’, often seen as imperfections, include cracks, knots and discolourations in the wood. Actually, one of the things that appealed to me most was the configuration of the rings, which are all native to the wood itself, sometimes he even cuts in to the side of the bowl to create an interesting pattern on the exterior. It’s also quite a change to see such thick raw walls on these forms, it gives them a much needed weight and a substantial structure that I’ve not seen other woodturners use before. The rawness is the wood left untreated, letting the natural oils coat and colour the surface through time and use.
So if you’re looking for pieces that have an abundance of character then don’t look any further than these by Maciek. Although quite different to industrial preciseness and the clean lines of modern furniture, they do have a stripped philosophy at their core, using only the necessary elements and letting the nature of the material come through. This has been an important thought for me over the past month as a designer and maker, when working with these different materials can you let this wood, clay, or whatever else it might be, speak for itself? Let the flow of things permeate, I guess becoming one with nature.