Georgi Todorov-Getz

Pipemaker

©Rosina Pencheva

Pipes at the intersection of creative pursuits

Georgi began making pipes in 1998
He is a self-taught pipemaker
He enhances his creations thanks to his jewellery making background

Georgi Todorov-Getz’s interest in taming trees dates back to his childhood, when he made ships and carts out of wood. It led him to major in industrial design from the Kazanlak High School of Art and then from the National Academy of Art in Sofia. As a student he started making jewellery from silver and later became a graphic designer. As a student, he hitchhiked with a roommate to the bigger city nearby to buy his first pipe. Ten years later the pipe still fascinated him as an object of craftsmanship. Living in Prague, Georgi developed an interest in pipemaking and, by chance, encountered the 'King of Pipes' Karel Hinger in a specialised pipe shop. It is in the Czech Republic that Georgi was able to develop his knowledge of pipes, from books and from exchanges with Karel Hinger. A self-taught artisan with no formal training, Georgi has nevertheless succeeded in turning himself into a master pipemaker, thanks to his solid education and endless creativity.

Interview

©Rosina Pencheva

©Rosina Pencheva

What inspires you?: Making pipes is the complex intersection of all my creative pursuits, and it is exactly what I want to do. It is the centre of my personal satisfaction – in terms of skills, aesthetics and my pursuits as an artist. I always search for something new, and it also brings me peace of mind in difficult times.
Does your craft allow improvisation?: For the last 200 years, the classic approach has been the two-piece tobacco pipes: head and mouthpiece. Shapes could be different with an almost infinite number of models. And it is in shapes that I find an endless field of expression.
Is your craft popular in Bulgaria?: This craft is very niche. While the classic pipe was gaining momentum in Europe, Bulgaria was still under Ottoman rule. Pipemaking did not develop after the Liberation, either. During communism, low-quality pipes were imported from a Czech state-owned factory and the craft failed to take a foothold locally. There are no traditions in pipemaking or pipe smoking and I have no apprentices. Two friends of mine were curious about pipemaking, but there are no people whom I have trained who have continued to do it.
What is the beauty of your craft?: In my work I merge many influences and modern materials. It requires a very high level of attention and precision. It is no accident that the pipes are divided into handmade and factory-made. When you make it by hand, you choose the briar block according to the design of the pipe, the drilling and the type of finish. Every time it is a custom piece and a new challenge to achieve exactly what you envision.

Georgi Todorov-Getz is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1998