Horst Kontak

Woodturner

Engineering beautiful woodwork

Horst was inspired by master wood sculptor Lüder Baier
Each of Horst's objects is deeply connected to nature
He always wears genuine Dutch clogs in his workshop

As a boy, Horst Kontak was fascinated by timber. His grandfather introduced him to the details, colours, warmth and feel of a piece of wood. After training as mechanical engineer, Horst had a life-changing experience in 1985, when he held a wooden bowl made by Lüder Baier in his hands. Horst describes that moment as a visual sensation – with an actual impact: a year later, he made a woodturning lathe out of an old car engine and started to produce his first small vessels. However it wasn't until many years later that Horst bought a professional lathe and opened his own workshop, in 2009. He had remained in contact with Lüder Baier, who became his mentor, encouraging him to find his own individual style.

Where

Interview

Do you remember the first object you made?: There are two 'first' objects I vividly remember. A small box out of pearwood I made on my self-made lathe in 1986 – it was a present for my youngest daughter. In 2009, it was a tiny vessel out of bright sycamore wood: a traditional cylindrical shape with a slim body, a lid and an untreated surface.
Why is nature an inspiration?: Strolling around the unspoilt landscape of my home village, Pritzwalk, inspires me to make objects out of domestic wood. They mostly have plain and simple shapes, almost no decoration and no artistic acrobatics. Sometimes I incorporate a tiny twig as a symbol of nature.
How do you go about creating your pieces?: I have to create the object in my mind’s eye before I switch on the lathe. As soon as I know precisely what I want, the production starts. My workshop is very small but tidy – everything has its place. I always work in my Dutch clogs – some kind of quirky ritual that enhances my focus.
How do you combine tradition and innovation?: The traditional part of my work is the process itself – everything is handmade on my traditional, manual lathe. Besides the design, distribution and marketing are very much related to innovation. Therefore, my slogan is 'old handicraft, modern sales'.

Horst Kontak is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1985