Cédric Breisacher

Furniture maker

Collaborating with the forest

Cédric’s designs evoke the spirit of nature
He uses a variety of materials and techniques
His workshop takes a creative zero-waste approach

Cédric Breisacher designs and sculpts contemporary furniture and objects from pure hardwood and recycled wood composite. He completed advanced studies in industrial design in France and trained himself in woodworking before opening his workshop in 2016. In 2018, Cédric received a prestigious prize in the Concours d’Ateliers d’Art de France. Inspired by the natural world – especially the peace and mystique of forests and oceans – Cédric takes an environmental approach to his work with natural materials. His 'circular workshop' concept enables him both to create unique furniture from a single piece of precious hardwood and to salvage cut pieces and sawdust for composite wood creations that evoke nature’s beauty and renewal.

Interview

What is the guiding principle in your creations?: Building a sense of connection to the natural world is central to my work. I strive to create in collaboration with nature, letting myself be guided by natural materials, tools, and my intuition. The result hopefully recalls the simplicity and essence of nature.
Where do you get your artistic inspiration?: As a child, I spent a lot of time in an untouched forest near my home, observing the cycle of life and marvelling at the energy of the forest, which gives rise to imaginary worlds of fairies and the fantastic. My enduring love of nature remains my main source of inspiration.
What is your creative process?: I begin by carefully researching and selecting my raw materials. Next, I design and shape the object; often this entails gradually subtracting material to reveal the core form. Finally, I refine the piece, for example using natural dyes to highlight the wood’s features.
How do you make your concept of a 'circular workshop' a reality?: Just as the forest makes use of everything within it to flourish, I am committed to valuing all my raw materials and wasting nothing in my workshop. My Agglomera project unites bits and pieces to reveal the beauty of diversity.

Cédric Breisacher is a rising star: he began his career in 2016 and he started teaching in 2020