Guillermo Rodríguez

Woodworker

The true value of a precious material

Guillermo handcrafts wooden objects, furniture, boxes and jewellery cabinets
He carefully selects certified wood varieties for his environmentally cautious practice
The assemblies and joints of his pieces are characterised by their strength and durability

After several personal and professional detours, Guillermo Rodríguez learned how to carve wooden spoons and has been committed to crafting by hand ever since. Guillermo was initially self-taught, then practised attention to detail and technical rigour with various masters, including Germán Peraire, Israel Martín, Sebastián Mateu, Hernán Costa and Vasko Sotirov. "From an early age, my father, a carpentry enthusiast with a home workshop, instilled in me a passion for craftsmanship and wood," he says. In 2020, Guillermo opened his workshop in the countryside, surrounded by trees, where he handcrafts furniture, boxes and signature solid wood pieces inspired by Japanese and Scandinavian traditions. "Each of my pieces will occupy a special place in its owner's life. Each object has the potential to accompany people for generations and become part of their family's legacy," Guillermo says.

Interview

What life lesson have you learned from your craft?: Working by hand with furniture, boxes and signature solid wood pieces has taught me to value the importance of an object and its permanence in time and personal history.
How does your creative process evolve?: My creative process begins unplanned and passionate. My starting point and catalyst is emotion. Once I start working on a piece, I become obsessively immersed in its creation.
Is the environment a key consideration in your practice?: I am working with an increasingly scarce resource on which our survival as a species depends. Searching for object permanence would be a possible response and a positive change of attitude in our societies. We consume without restraint when we should be moving towards greater respect for natural conservation.
What are the challenges for the future of woodwork?: The challenges lie in highlighting the clear differences between artisanal work and industrial production. We need to recognise the true value and beauty of wood, a precious material that is becoming increasingly scarce, as well as appreciate its benefits for all of us.

Guillermo Rodríguez is a rising star: he began his career in 2020