Maciej Gasienica Giewont
Giewont Studio
Woodturner
Warsaw, Poland
Recommended by Oskar Zieta
Paying tribute to nature
- Maciej took up an internship at Mike Scott’s studio in the UK
- He always wants to know the source and history of the materials he uses
- His vessels and objects are made only from native wood species
Maciej Gąsienica Giewont's work is a collaboration between craftsman and material. It is this union, where both human and nature has a say, that makes each object unique. Growing up in the Podhale region, known for its still-thriving woodwork traditions, Maciej's love for wood came naturally. He was raised in a family with a carpentry background and spent most of his childhood in his grandfather’s workshop. While already an experienced carpenter, he discovered his passion for woodturning. “I knew that my pieces would be more than just something to put on the table. I want them to tell a story: their story, of the material and of the creator. The people who come to my studio are not looking for just a bowl, but for a crafted object and a piece of its maker.”
INTERVIEW
After primary school I chose the only school that at that time was offering apprenticeships. My master was a leading carpenter in Podhale and this training lasted three years. I would use every moment to help with various projects and stayed in the workshop until late.
I was already using the lathe in my works, but it was the moment when my friend brought me a catalogue of works of American artists and woodturners. Those hollow bowls, made from one piece, were what excited me. So I decided to do it myself.
When I approach a block of wood, I have a vision of an object in my head, or a drawing. But nature will modify it. I’ll start shaping and a certain wood grain will appear, which I didn't expect. This unpredictability, forming my work around nature’s intentions, is what I enjoy most.
I work with fresh, wet wood. Disease, insect attacks and mould are part of wood’s natural environment. Once I finish my work on the lathe, I will leave the object and let nature do its work. When it dries, it wrinkles and cracks. The process deforms the object and once it finishes, my work is done.
