Sofia Karakatsanis

Furniture maker

The deep beauty of angles and hollows

Sofia was awarded a scholarship from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust
The artist Louise Bourgeois and the photographer Larry Burrows are among her sources of inspiration
It took her four months of solid work to produce the Resilience chair

Working with wood and making furniture is where Sofia Karakatsanis finds her greatest peace and fulfillment. "Woodwork," she explains, "provides me with a sense of purpose and calms the chaos of the world we inhabit now." Growing up in a creative environment with both her parents makers, Sofia discovered furniture making at 18 years old, just a few months before going to university to study architecture. While participating in a rotation programme at college, exploring various arts, crafts, and design fields, she was able to create a piece of furniture. Sofia realised she was hooked. The aspiration to be an architect faded away, replaced by a newfound passion: being a craftsperson. She studied for a degree in design at Birmingham City University, and then attended the prestigious William & Cleal Furniture School in Lydeard St Lawrence. Sofia was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust and has been making pieces of work that impact the viewer and evokes emotions ever since.

Interview

How did your journey start?: My true start was when I finally attended a furniture school in March 2021. I worked hard and saved for a year to have tuition money for 15 weeks. These courses are exceptional in quality and very intensive. It required a big commitment from me and it is something I had wanted to do for over a decade.
How important is your heritage?: I was born and raised in the Black Country, in the West Midlands, which boasts a tradition rich in production and manufacturing. Stourbridge is internationally recognised for its glassmaking. In my professional journey, I collaborated with numerous talented local craftspeople, producing goods ranging from metalwork to upholstery. I think being raised in an environment of craftsmanship developed a strong interest in me.
Would you choose functionality over aesthetics?: I specialise in creating functional art pieces. All of my furniture is functional while having a very strong visual identity, with a focus on form. I craft these pieces using a mix of both power carving and hand carving techniques. I use an angle grinder for the main carving process, then move to hand tools such as rasps, files, spokeshaves and cabinet scrapers for refinement.
How important are traditional techniques to you?: I have learned traditional furniture-making methods, and I believe this is reflected in the craftsmanship of my work. Modern and traditional jointing techniques are visible in my work, from stud and resin joints which allow me the most freedom for carving, to tongue and grooving.

Sofia Karakatsanis is a rising star: she began her career in 2021