Christophe Nancey
biography |
portfolio | artists listing
CHRISTOPHE NANCEY
b. 1961, Grasse, France
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Woodturning Center Philadelphia, PA
Musée des Pays de l’Ain, Paris, France
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2006 Turned & Sculptured Wood, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Small Treasures, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Solo Exhibition, Galerie Médiart, Paris, France
Turned Wood–Small Treasures, Del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2005 Solo Exhibition, Galerie Terraviva, Saint Quentin La Poterie, France
Reflecting, Woodturning Center, Philadelphia, PA
Connections, Woodturning Center, Philadelphia, PA
CWA, Philadelphia, PA
2004 Contemporary Art Fair – Paris Bastille
2004-06 Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art Exposition - New York and Chicago
2004-06 Maison et Objet, Paris, France
Contemporary Art Fair – Paris Bastille
2003 Art et Création Galerie, Lyon, France
European Galerie of Wood and Forest, Dompierre Les Ormes, France
Maison de l’Amandier, Saint Remy de Provenc
Galerie Atelier d’art de France, Paris, France
Contemporary Art Fair, Paris Bastille
One Feast One Artist, Roure, France
Musée des pays de L’ain, France
2002 Reflecting, Woodturning Center, Philadelphia, PA
Out of the Wood, Neiman Marcus Corporation, New York, NY
Bois Tournés deTournés – Atelier d’art de France, Paris
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Since I can remember, I have been sensitive to trees and their fascinating ways of growing: burrs with their numberless outgrowth, tormented circonvolutions of roots, and worms attacks. Loosing myself in the wood, different images came to mind. And by patient approach, looking and touching, I inspire my mind with its characteristics. Then comes the desire to build together a new story for the wood.
I create mainly pure and organic shapes where the relation between material, work and idea can be fully expressed. The metal inlaid in wood defects or cracks is only there to emphasize a detail, a part of the tree's life, fully written in its grain. Often, giving the work a patina created by texturing, burning, brushing, and pigmenting finishes parts of the work.Today, by mixing all those techniques, I introduce ideas of time and breath to tell different stories about nature.
Initially, I learned cabinet making and in 1984, I started learning woodturning from G. Bidou. Then I had an autodidactic search, enriching this personal journey with the inspiration from workshops with foreign woodturners: André Martel (Canada), Michael Hosaluk (Canada), Terry Martin (Australia).
ABOUT THE WORK
I firstly turn and hollow the rough shape in wet or half-dry wood.At this step I select and carve some parts to be finished in smooth aspect once the wood will be dry. Other parts are carved in a “naturally” textured and eroded aspect.
Then, once the wood is dry, I remove the deformations due to drying process on some parts and keep them on other parts. I end the carving, and inlay pewter in some cracks. Then I finely sand the parts designed to be smooth, and create a patina using fire, brushes, pigments and linseed oil.
I mainly use different kinds of burrs and roots of trees such as ash, heather, elm and maple.
b. 1961, Grasse, France
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Woodturning Center Philadelphia, PA
Musée des Pays de l’Ain, Paris, France
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2006 Turned & Sculptured Wood, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Small Treasures, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Solo Exhibition, Galerie Médiart, Paris, France
Turned Wood–Small Treasures, Del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2005 Solo Exhibition, Galerie Terraviva, Saint Quentin La Poterie, France
Reflecting, Woodturning Center, Philadelphia, PA
Connections, Woodturning Center, Philadelphia, PA
CWA, Philadelphia, PA
2004 Contemporary Art Fair – Paris Bastille
2004-06 Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art Exposition - New York and Chicago
2004-06 Maison et Objet, Paris, France
Contemporary Art Fair – Paris Bastille
2003 Art et Création Galerie, Lyon, France
European Galerie of Wood and Forest, Dompierre Les Ormes, France
Maison de l’Amandier, Saint Remy de Provenc
Galerie Atelier d’art de France, Paris, France
Contemporary Art Fair, Paris Bastille
One Feast One Artist, Roure, France
Musée des pays de L’ain, France
2002 Reflecting, Woodturning Center, Philadelphia, PA
Out of the Wood, Neiman Marcus Corporation, New York, NY
Bois Tournés deTournés – Atelier d’art de France, Paris
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Since I can remember, I have been sensitive to trees and their fascinating ways of growing: burrs with their numberless outgrowth, tormented circonvolutions of roots, and worms attacks. Loosing myself in the wood, different images came to mind. And by patient approach, looking and touching, I inspire my mind with its characteristics. Then comes the desire to build together a new story for the wood.
I create mainly pure and organic shapes where the relation between material, work and idea can be fully expressed. The metal inlaid in wood defects or cracks is only there to emphasize a detail, a part of the tree's life, fully written in its grain. Often, giving the work a patina created by texturing, burning, brushing, and pigmenting finishes parts of the work.Today, by mixing all those techniques, I introduce ideas of time and breath to tell different stories about nature.
Initially, I learned cabinet making and in 1984, I started learning woodturning from G. Bidou. Then I had an autodidactic search, enriching this personal journey with the inspiration from workshops with foreign woodturners: André Martel (Canada), Michael Hosaluk (Canada), Terry Martin (Australia).
ABOUT THE WORK
I firstly turn and hollow the rough shape in wet or half-dry wood.At this step I select and carve some parts to be finished in smooth aspect once the wood will be dry. Other parts are carved in a “naturally” textured and eroded aspect.
Then, once the wood is dry, I remove the deformations due to drying process on some parts and keep them on other parts. I end the carving, and inlay pewter in some cracks. Then I finely sand the parts designed to be smooth, and create a patina using fire, brushes, pigments and linseed oil.
I mainly use different kinds of burrs and roots of trees such as ash, heather, elm and maple.