Elia Bizzarri (Emeritus)

Hillsborough, NC | Exhibiting Since 2008

Rooted in the craftsmanship of risk, I work on the edge of possibility. With each slice of the drawknife, every cut with a gouge, there is a split-second decision. A beautiful chair or a piece of firewood will result. I am in intimate connection with the wood; I am in intimate connection my tools, some of which I design and make myself. No jigs or power tools force my will on the wood. I’ve taken the risk. The result is an interpretation of 18th century design, stylized and refined to a modern elegance. My Windsor chairs reflect an integral understanding of the intrinsic and unique qualities of maple, poplar, hickory and oak. Split from a log, all parts save the seat are worked green and then dried — some just air dried and some “super dried” in a kiln. Removed from the kiln, the ends of these “super-dried” parts are inserted into holes in the wetter air-dried parts where they swell like a sponge, locking the chair parts together. After assembly, five layers of subtly-brushed milk paint provide depth and unity to the design.