Austin Heitzman, Burnt Redwood Stand (WORLD 2023)

Photos:

Austin Heitzman

Country:

USA

Fire is a natural part of the forest ecology in the Pacific North West, and many other places, however this once regenerating force has recently become supercharged affecting the lives of people all over the world. A decade ago nobody talked about the "fire season" now we consider ourselves fortunate to not have to wear respirators outside for some portion of the summer. Woodwork, especially furniture, is not often thought of as medium to discuss larger issues, but I have wanted to touch on the issue of fire in my woodwork for sometime now. The curved profile of the legs is created from a naturally burnt piece of old growth redwood, the gentle curve of the fire scar is echoed in the round top and curved skirt. I burnt the space under the top to bring out fire as a design element elsewhere in the piece. Incorporating this destructive force in a graceful and intentional manner I think gives hope and forces us to examine the role of fire in the redwood's life cycle and our own.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.