My straw marquetry skills have already taken me into very challenging territory. An example is applying straw to convex and concave surfaces. Expert knowledge in this field is hard to come by as there is relatively little literature or online information. This led me to experiment a lot myself, developing new techniques. I aim to pass on some of these in my workshops.

There is a French farmer in the Burgundy area who supplies many straw marquetry artisans with straw. It is always rye that is used, as only rye can provide a shimmery finish. In addition to growing the stalks, the farmer also dyes them. His intense colours are one of his most well-kept secrets.

In my craft, I meticulously flatten each straw before hand-selecting it. As straw is a natural material, each piece is unique and may also exhibit imperfections. I believe that to achieve the balance that imparts personality to each object, I must constantly navigate between perfection and individuality.