about
about myself:
I was born 1951 in Zurich, Switzerland, and worked there as a teacher until 1991. I then lived in the Philippines as a fish farmer and restored an old barge in France. In 1996, I moved to the North Coast of California where I attended the Fine Woodworking Program at the local College. I now work in my shop and smithy near Fort Bragg, where I create objects of striking simplicity and elegance, whether it is a commissioned piece or one of my own creations.
about form and function:
I like to experiment with different materials – materials that juxtapose each other – to create objects, that are not merely functional, but have a sculptural quality to them as well.
about finding solutions:
What fascinates me the most, is figuring out clever solutions. That can be the use of a strong magnet instead of a traditional joint, or a material, that has never been used in that way before. Joining different materials can be quite a challenge. It certainly needs a whole set of skills in all kind of different trades.
about more and less:
One of my favorite apothegmatic saying is: ‘Less is more than enough.’ I wrote it on my blackboard in the shop as a daily reminder. Simplifying is an art in itself, I belief. And it is hard work, because simple doesn’t mean easy. Quite the opposite is true, actually. But it is a gratifying act to strip away unnecessary features.
about my furniture :
Whether you watch the slide show or pick your own way through the Gallery, you’ll notice (I hope), that these are all unique pieces, each one is built for a specific purpose and belongs to a particular place. That is true for the commission pieces, of course, I designed and built them that way. But it is also true for my own creations, they are commissioned by myself, if you will. Quite a few stay with us anyway, like the bed, the computer desk, the shoe rack and so forth. Some of them find a place somewhere else, which is particularly gratifying.
about buying:
This is not a catalog, you don’t see any price tags and most pieces aren’t available off the shelf anyway, or aren’t available at all. This is more a portfolio or a showroom, that wants to inspire you, that wants to give you an idea what I can do. And can’t. I am good at figuring things out, finding solutions for specific needs. Lets say you look for a table with some unusual measurements, that you can’t find anywhere else. Ask me. I can build you a table in any dimensions. But I can’t build it in any style, since my mind is limited to a certain aesthetic, as you most likely can tell by now.
how about asking?
If you see something that interests you, why don’t you write me a note and we talk about it, whether it is available and how much it would cost? If something inspires you for your own piece of furniture you have in mind, again, ask me, together we could come up with a unique solution for it.
