Benedikt Maria Bohlinger

Woodturner

©Wolfgang Gschwendtner

Playful experimentation

Benedikt Maria only works with green wood
He uses special techniques to sand and paint the wood
The final shape is led by the raw material

Benedikt Maria Bohlinger is the third generation in a family of master carpenters. Raised in his parents’ workshop surrounded by wood, inevitably he trained as a carpenter. However, wood turning was not part of his training and for many years not even part of his daily work. “It was the urge to break free from the overly standardized world of furniture making that ultimately led me to wood turning,” he explains. Driven by his intuition Benedikt refined his skills in workshops with masters such as Mike Tingey and Peter Hromek, and continued to develop his unique aesthetic that sets his works apart today.

Interview

©Wolfgang Gschwendtner

©Wolfgang Gschwendtner

What is so special about green wood?: Working with fresh wood is extremely different from what I had been doing before. I wanted to know how the material would react, what possibilities are contained in it that are revealed during the drying process.
Is there a guiding principle for your work?: The general idea is to create vessels that are as thin and translucent as possible, with wall thicknesses of 2-3 mm and diameters of up to 70 cm. It is that combination of fragility and size that is so appealing.
What are the technical challenges?: Green wood cannot be sanded with regular sandpaper, therefore I had to develop a new sanding technique with a lot of water and special sandpaper. I also had to develop a special colouring process where the paint is applied to the still wet wood.
Is there also a traditional step in your creation process?: It is the final treatment. Every piece is varnished the traditional way with the cup gun and a 2-component, highly durable lacquer. The final varnish is applied in about 12 to 15 layers and usually takes almost 14 days.

Benedikt Maria Bohlinger is a master artisan: he began his career in 1976 and he started teaching in 1985