Renze van den Brink

Spheres of wood

• Renze creates spherical objects out of wood
• A single sphere is made up of thousands of pieces
• Precision and patience are his most needed skills

Renze van den Brink's curiosity with wood started at a very young age. He used to collect wooden scraps on the way back from school and created small objects in his father's workshop on the family farm. “All the pieces of wood I ever held, had a future.” Trained as a carpenter, he made his curiosity of wood a profession. After finishing his first ever wooden sphere named ‘Era’ out of over 5,000 pieces, he opened his own workshop. Even though the spheres are hollow, they can weigh up to 150kg. Making these spherical wood forms, his specialty, requires the mastery of several different techniques. The myriad pieces are carefully positioned to create one-of-a-kind patterns. Renze regards his work as a search for balance in technique, patience, meditation and craftsmanship.

Interview

©Niccola.be

©Alain Ramael

How did you choose this craft as your career?

I have been working with wood since I was a child. I used to pick up driftwood that floated in the water on my way home from school. I collected as much as I could and made art for days with all the nails I could find in my dad's workshop on the farm.

What inspired you to create spherical objects?

I look around for hidden treasures every day and most of those perfect combinations I found in nature. Whenever I stand in front of my spheres, I feel the attraction, like it has its own gravity field along with the combination of different structures, sounds, form and colour.

What advice would you give to a young craftsperson?

To overcome the fear of exhibiting their work, as I myself was afraid to do. The world needs people who are hungry for craftsmanship, so share your knowledge and ideas, and try to get as much as possible from others, so you might be able to pass it on later.

Do you consider your craft to be a victim of modern technology?

Nowadays, a lot of things are made with CNC machines, 3D printers, laser cutters and so on. But a machine can do only so much. There's no substitute for things that are made by human hands, the emotion connected with the final product is not possible to recreate with a machine.

Renze van den Brink is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2004

Works

©Alain Ramael

©Alain Ramael

©Alain Ramael

Where