Christian Burchard

"The material I use, pacific madrone burl, changes as it dries, forcing me to step back from my work and relinquish control for a short time while letting the wood find its own shape. Madrone burl, which grows along the northwest coast of the United Stated, is the wildest of all the woods I know. Not only does it have a wide range of color and texture, it resists all attempts to dry evenly. Instead it warps or cracks strongly and gets very hard when it dries. I turn it while it is still green, while it is a pleasure to cut and handle. I make use of the warping as the wood dries to create attitude, gesture and, when grouping these shapes together, relationships. The soft surface texture is a direct result of the cutting edge of my tools and light sandblasting.

My objects are an attempt to tell stories. They give glimpses of possibilities or act as metaphors, serving as a transport for ideas and things alike. A little fantastic, a little odd.… Some are solely because they were a lot of fun to make. They are highly unlikely with a life of their own." - Christain Burchard

To see more of his work go to his website.