Lubomír Kuča

Maalstrom Studio

Woodturner

©Vítězslav Krátký

©Eli Kubíková

Falling for wood

Lubomír is a devotee of recycling
Initially, he worked as a therapist
He also makes stationery products

The wooden vessels made by Lubomír Kuča don't reveal that he is a self-confessed amateur. His objects have clean contours, skilfully applied colour features, and the wood texture is shown in its best form. Yet woodworking is not Lubomír's primary craft; since 2005, he's been making unique and popular notebooks from recycled materials. Wood came into his life as a passion. "My great-grandfather was a violin maker, and his workshop is still in my parent's cottage. Once I came there for a holiday and felt the need to spend the two weeks learning something new. And there was this wood from a recently felled pear tree..." That was when Lubomír, a social pedagogue by education, fell for woodworking.

Interview

©Vítězslav Krátký

©Vítězslav Krátký

What do you love about your craft?: The state of mind. When you're woodturning, you must be one hundred percent focused. Not only because you can spoil the object, but also you can get badly injured if your thoughts ramble. So in essence, it's a mindfulness meditation session.
How did you adopt woodturning skills?: Thanks to videos on YouTube and the trial and error method. Of course, it didn't always go smoothly. I missed a master who would stand behind my back with advice. On the other hand, I examined every little step by myself, which taught me a lot.
How do you choose the material for your works?: I stay true to my belief in recycling. All the wood I use is from trees that have to be cut down due to damage or disease. I have the same approach towards my notebook production; I always use scraps, upcycling them in to a new product.
What influences your production process?: I admire the mastery of traditional woodturning; it's an old craft. For me, it's similar to ceramics which inspires me too. And since I grew up with street art, I like using spray colours. That's the common denominator in all the fields of my work.

Lubomír Kuča is a rising star: he began his career in 2020