Lison de Caunes

Straw marquetry maker

Louis Teran ©Michelangelo Foundation

From humble material to luxury item

Straw marquetry uses only rye grain straw
Lison taught herself, since no straw marquetry masters remained
She feels almost any design idea is achievable

Lison de Caunes grew up with the straw marquetry objects and furniture designed by her grandfather, André Groult, and worried what would happen to these beautiful pieces if no one knew how to restore them. No one did, and so she decided to learn. “I spent 20 years restoring antiques and Art Deco furniture. I learned my profession through the restoration of straw marquetry, which perfected my technique, and then I spent another 20 years creating.” From her Paris workshop, she performs the alchemy of turning straw into gold. “What interests me is the transformation of such a modest material into a luxury item. I’ve been gluing pieces of straw for 30 years, and I’ll never get tired of it.”

Interview

Louis Teran ©Michelangelo Foundation

©Gilles Trillard

What is one of your favourite projects?: An Indian style 'Madras' table, inspired by the aesthetic of a woman’s sari. The piece was challenging because it looks like it’s been woven from cloth. It was very difficult, but I was delighted and satisfied by the achievement.
What inspires you?: Nature provides endless motifs – trees, bamboo, flowers. I love natural shapes and textures. Painting and art also get me to research and try new things. Finally, I find inspiration in working to highlight the versatility of straw marquetry.
Why is straw marquetry so versatile?: Because there’s so much possibility for innovation. We can combine different materials with the straw – glass, pewter, metal – opening new creative paths. We recently did a piece with straw covered in gold leaf, something we’d never done before.
What are the specific techniques involved?: Straw marquetry is true marquetry, meaning that every single piece must be inlaid onto the surface of the supporting material, edge to edge. The artistic technique involves creating light reflections from the way in which the pieces are laid.

Lison de Caunes is an expert artisan she began her career in 1978