AN
INVITATION TO EXPERIENCE AN ARTISAN WOODWORKING TRADITION THAT LOOKS TO THE
FUTURE
To be able to concentrate on
the essence of things and to enjoy creating your own world, enables us
to produce a limited selection of unique wooden figures with plenty of
character, which have made the woodturning shop of Bjoern Koehler
renowned beyond the borders of the Ore Mountain (Erzgebirge) region.
These wooden creations differ substantially from the traditional look of
the Ore Mountain folk-art, yet its artistic design is based on its long
tradition. Maintaining the long held traditions of generations of
wood-turners before us, our work is also done at a wood-turning bench.
Each piece is unique, crafted by hand and stands on its own, yet all
together they form a cohesive ensemble .
The material we work in offers many options - only local raw wood is
used - yet our preference is working with spruce. It requires a highly
sensitive touch by the artisan, yet when done successfully, it results
in an unmistakable texture. This makes each item look very unique. That
is the hallmark of our series - the impressive grain of the wood and the
high quality of craftsmanship which showcase the minimal design of our
forms to its full advantage.
All figures, no matter if whimsical santas, impish goblins or our large
and small nativity assortment - are based on one essential form, which
is shaped by many artisans until they finally achieve the desired
result. A special effort is made to finish the surface, so one can see
and feel its exquisite silkiness. When all is done, these unique
creation are branded on the bottom with the trade mark of Bjoern
Koehler's craft shop - a distinctive sign of its origin. The effort to
create one of a kind design, while at the same time honoring the old
customs of traditional craftsmanship have been rewarded with several
awards, for instance the award for design: "Tradition and Form" in 1995,
2001, and 2004, given by the Ore Mountain Craft Guild (Verband
Erzgebirgischer Kunsthandwerker).
What follows
hopefully inspires you - may you enjoy looking and making
your selection.
The fascination of each image results
from its shape or its material of which each is crafted
- or
both.
Bjoern Koehler is a trained
wood turner and has gained and honed his skill by starting as an
apprentice. Yet these beautifully crafted products are not the only
reason for the success of his workshop. From the beginning he was
interested in taking on the challenge to create his own collection,
combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design concepts.
He achieved his break-through in 1991 with the design of the nativity
set. Whimsical Santas followed and later goblins and green manikins. The
original designs were made at the drafting table, further refined
through many trials and errors at the wood lathe until the hidden charm
of these minimally designed creations is finally unlocked.
IN THE BEGINNING IT IS MERELY A BLOCK OF WOOD.
AT THE END ONE DISCOVERS WHAT ONE WISHED FOR.
You will not
find a working environment that is stressful and
hectic. This is deliberate, since you cannot rush the
selection of the locally grown wood, the proper storage at the
right temperature, and the process of drying the wood. The
same single minded focus applies to all the following steps in
Bjoern Koehler's workshop - the cutting of the edges or the
sawing of the preliminary shapes from planks of wood.
THE ART OF
WOODTURNING IS ACTUALLY QUITE SIMPLE.
ALL ONE NEEDS TO DO IS FREE
HIDDEN SPIRIT INHERENT IN THE WOOD.
The shop smells of wood and the sounds of the lathe and the metal tools
shaping the wood fill the room.
Cylinders are initially created on the wood lathe. The edges are removed
with a chisel while the wood is turning.
These cylinders are then turned into basic shapes - spheres, trees or
various body parts for the later developed figures. By losing one's
concentration a piece is easily ruined.
The eye alone and artistic skill determine if perfection is achieved.
And interestingly, you will see more women than men in the shop, probably on
account of their patience.
IT REQUIRES A LARGE AMOUNT OF TALENT AND
EXPERIENCE TO CHANGE NATURE'S CREATION INTO SOMETHING UNIQUE.
There is no assembly line in this
workshop, even in today's times to fit togther all the differently crafted
parts. It takes talented craftspeople who work with concentrations and pride
in their skill. Piece by piece, the different segments of the nativity's
palm crown come together and are being glued to the trunk.
It is important that the grain of the wood fits together perfectly and
nothing will diminish the desired look of perfection. The same artist's
skill applies to all the other figures of the collection as well.
In today's time of mass-produced, assembly line and computer driven output,
it is refreshing to see works of art created by hand.
The peaceful charm of the figures is created by the
simplicity of the shape and the masterful workmanship.
The glued raw parts have not yet achieved
the silken surface which is so typical for the figures created
in the Bjoern Koehler workshop.
Depending upon the type of finish desired in the final product,
the pieces are initilly stained, then a special base glaze is
applied, and then again polished by hand.
The foundation for the final touch of the piece is created by
skillful hands, with fine sand paper, and much patience. This
final touch of refinement follows after an additional
application of wax or glaze and the finely polished pieces
finally begin to shine.
