A good part of my childhood and youth was spent watching my father, Guido, an artisan carpenter, work with wood, cane and rattan in his small home workshop. It was fascinating watching him shape simple battens to construct the legs of a table or chair, or crafting from a large wood panel a cupboard, a bedside table or a shelf. He would finish by painting and varnishing each one of his creations.
It was my father who fabricated a good part of my toys as a kid, as well as the little table and chair (which still exist… and in good condition too!) at which I sat drawing for hours on end.
And, not so long ago, when I had just starting painting seriously, it was also my father who reminded me that drawing and painting had always been my passion, right from a very young age.
It was through play that my first creative skills developed. I used my father’s tools (a small hammer, a coping saw, nails and a small knife) and my own fantasy to construct boats, fishing lines or golf clubs.
So nowadays, when I manage to breathe new life into the old wooden frames I find scouring the local second-hand stores, it’s a bit like I’m paying tribute to my family’s invaluable teachings.
Cleaning down, patching up, sanding back, repainting the wood and varnishing it like my father did before me, cutting the glass and then assembling it all to frame one of my paintings; all this makes the piece of art just that little bit more special.With every painting in a restored frame, I’m giving away a part myself and my background.