Fernando Roa Caviedes

Galeria del Torno

Woodturner

©FERNANDO ROA

Teaching the colours of wood

Fernando has trained over 1000 apprentices in 15 years
Nazareno wood’s purple hues are his favourite
He values projects of co-creation with other designers

Fernando Roa has humbly shared his carpentry skills for over 15 years as master woodturner with the National Program of Craft Schools (Programa Nacional de Escuelas Taller), for special projects in rural Colombia and in his own workshop. The transmission of skills and of woodturning know-how has been part of his journey from as early as adolescence, when he learned his craft from master carpenters in his retired father’s workshop. As a trained artist his sensibility for design and problem-solving is what makes his craftsmanship so distinctive. Fernando searches for wood species with diverse colour palettes, and then carefully segments and arranges them into geometric patterns to form his puzzle-like vases and furniture. Though he shares his knowledge readily, Fernando's work is mostly commissioned by designers and galleries.

Interview

©FERNANDO ROA

©FERNANDO ROA

What motivated you to choose this craft?: I did not originally set out to spend my life in woodwork. However at the beginning, it helped pay for my tuition as a plastic artist and kept coming in useful in sculptural projects during my university years. It was not until I won a prize at the International Craft Trade Fair in Córdoba, Argentina in 2010, that I recognised it as my true path.
In what way is your craft linked to your homeland?: I work on a social project setting up a woodturning workshop in a small town of Huila province where I was brought up. It is an act of reciprocity to the community, to this craft and heritage.
How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?: I aim to work with precision on complex, large-scale artefacts with the simplicity of the basic, traditional lathe.
Could your craft be considered in danger?: No. There is enthusiasm to learn and practise woodturning. However it is true that training is scarce as few schools offer courses and workshops to form apprentices.

Fernando Roa Caviedes is a master artisan: he began his career in 2009 and he started teaching in 2010