Wooden pieces of a puzzle
- Manuel took up the family business in 1978
- As a child he made his own wooden toys
- Piecing different types of wood together is one of his specialities
Manuel de la Cruz Rodríguez belongs to the third generation of woodturners and cabinetmakers of his family. His grandfather, Juan de la Cruz, opened Torneados de la Cruz in 1923, in Cáceres, Spain. As a child, Manuel grew up in the family workshop where, from an early age, he created his own wooden toys. Manuel is a multifaceted craftsman, ready to create any object he is asked to create. His experience in turning is very broad and he assures that there is practically no object that he cannot make. Today, the family business is still alive and well, and manufactures stylish and custom furniture, as well as table legs, stair balusters, furniture handles and knobs, balustrade complements, and all kinds of furniture accessories in a wide variety of models and styles.
Interview
- What was your aim in making the Greek Crater?
- With this piece I wanted to reproduce an antique design, using plywood which is a semi-finished material that is widely used today yet very old, and combine it with small pieces of different woods for the body of the crater.
- What was the creative process in making this object?
- To make the body of the crater I made a block out of 4mm thick plywood scraps (from drawer bases and furniture backs), and added small pieces of other woods such as pine, iroko, walnut, sapele and Oregon pine.
- Why is Spanish walnut wood so important to you?
- Although native to the Near East, the common walnut is grown in all temperate and warm regions of the Northern hemisphere. Spanish walnut is among the most prized, but there is very little production. It is one of the best-known and most prized woods in the world and has great decorative value.
- How is plywood linked to tradition?
- Historically, the first references to the use of plywood date back to 1500 BC. Egyptian craftsmen used plywood glued with plant or animal adhesives to decorate tombs. The Greeks and Romans also used these materials for their buildings.
Manuel De La Cruz Rodríguez is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1978
Works
Where
Manuel De La Cruz Rodríguez
