Jan Barič

Cabinetmaker

©Jan Baric

Seeing the world in wood

Jan's designs are all inspired by his own home
They include wooden coat hangers, bottle openers, and even a clock
His grandfather first showed him how to use woodworking tools

Jan Barič worked as a city planner for a small municipality in Slovenia. One day, a project in the city’s park required him to design the façade of a building with wood. Not knowing much about the material, nor which wood to choose, Jan discovered a series of online videos by woodworkers describing the properties of various woods. The videos stirred a deep passion in Jan. He quickly developed his own skills, first making a coffee table, and even refurbishing his kitchen table. Using his training as an architect, Jan started to work on his own innovative designs, increasingly devoting himself to the material he treasures.

Interview

©Jan Baric

Which woodworking videos inspired you?: I discovered Sam Maloof, a very well-known American woodworker. There are many videos of him working and explaining the processes, and I learned a lot this way. The other person is Ishitani, a Japanese woodworker. I watched his videos and tried to replicate his technique.
What do you like most about your work?: I like working with wood, I enjoy designing, and that my work is different every day because I am in charge of all the creative aspects. Before, my work day was always the same: eight hours of drawing in an office. My days are very dynamic now.
What surprises people about your work?: Probably the effort I put into every piece. They try to compare the price of my chairs with those manufactured in multiples, but that is not a fair comparison. I invest 60 hours of work in each chair, on top of the hours in between, drying the wood and drying the oil.
What are your sources of inspiration?: Nature, as well as everyday ordinary objects. I’ll see a broken concrete pipe beside the road and think: this would be a great bottle opener. I find geometric shapes extraordinarily charming, the clean lines and the concept that speaks for itself.

Jan Barič is a rising star: he began his career in 2017 and he started teaching in 2021