Today we present the project Xiloart, an initiative that combines originality, handcraft and design. For this, we have asked its founder, Sebastián Orset, about his origins and techniques. Sebastián (Sebas for the friends) is a professional of wood that works with its hands following traditional methods. An example is the Easo lamp, one of his best known works.
Xiloart explained by himself
Xiloart was born in 2013, although the idea is much earlier. In fact, it was always there, because it was born of a dream and a hope. A dream of creating pieces in wood and a hope of being able to live it, live a passion. Xiloart is a project to design and make author furniture and decorative pieces that reflect my way of understanding the cabinetmaking, my way of understanding part of this life.
Xiloart is a return to a way to make furniture or complements, transmitting passion and essence to the works, a return to a way of life, in contact with nature and giving value to the crafts.
The piece: the lamp Easo
– Design:
I present you a piece that reflects all that initial idea. A “simple” lamp, classic tripod, but in which is contained all that passion for things done by hand.
The initial piece, because I have already done a dozen lamps, was made with American cherry. It is a fine grain wood and warm texture that allows a perfect brushing and polishing. A wood that is a gift from nature.
The particularity of this foot lamp is the truncated cone to which the three legs of square section and slightly pyramidal pass away. The cone gives stability to the lamp, giving weight in the center of the volume and supporting the screen-holder.
It was designed to make a subtle, light piece, fragile in appearance but of great structural strength, where the legs are inserted in three grooves made on the cone at 120º and joined with carpenter’s tail and American walnut dowels.
– The execution:
Paws and cone are machined in the machines of my workshop. The rest of the work is by hand, such as brushing the legs, polishing the truncated cone, making the grooves where the legs will be inserted, adjusting the different parts, etc.
This second phase is 100% handmade. It is made with woodworking tools such as carpenter’s hand planes, bastions, chisels, blades, Japanese saws, etc. It is just this phase that allows transmitting to the piece all the passion and good doing. It is in the work done by hand where the union of mind and hands takes so the protagonists. All the speed and “brutality” of the industrial machining is now counteracted with the delicacy and “presence” of the crafts or handmade, leaving a piece of us in each piece made.
Finally the wood is treated with camellia oil, fine oil colourless of Japanese origin, similar to the Danish oil. Nothing is particular, but I like the finish that gives the wood.
The shade is made in a workshop in Donosti: Luzarte. They realize shades of exquisite quality, of multiple sizes and fabrics. In this case I use a screen of 50cms in diameter and 22cms high, cylindrical, with Tortosa fabric.
Cable and electrical accessories are provided by Santana Lamps through its website. The cable is with Bordeaux thread cover and black mechanisms.
At the moment I have this design in exclusivity for Bois et Fer, some designers and producers of furniture of Donosti. It is a business of fantastic people. I encourage you to visit their website.
I hope you liked this article. See you soon!
Sebastián -Xiloart
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