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Karel Aelterman

   Exhibiting Artist

Karel Aelterman is a cabinetmaker-craftsman who designs and makes unique, contemporary and high-end furniture that is mainly distributed through art and craft galleries, and shown in exhibitions. He also occasionally makes commissioned furniture.

 

Born in Belgium in 1966 and now living and working in Canada since 1994, Karel makes furniture in his studio since 2004. He has studied translation in Brussels and gained more than 15 years experience as a translator and meeting planner for government agencies. He acquired his first woodworking experience both as an autodidact and in private sculpting courses. He subsequently attended several courses at Algonquin College in Ottawa and graduated at the Rosewood Studio’s craftsman course in Almonte. In 2006, he wins the award for emerging artists from the Conseil de la culture de l’Outaouais.

 

Karel likes to pay specific attention to details, proportions, construction methods and quality of materials, and uses intuitive design to create functional pieces of art that emphasise the inherent beauty of domestic and exotic woods. More recently, he started exploring the inclusion of other materials in some of his pieces.

 

Karel Aelterman teaches private courses at his own studio and can be contacted by telephone at 819.561.7642 and by email at studio@karelaelterman.com.



Gallery under construction come back soon.

9 pictures

Exhibitions

See web site: www.karelaelterman.com

Artist Statement


As a craftsman, I work with wood in a peaceful and intimate workshop, surrounded by nature. I use my sensitivity and creativity to produce works of art that allow people to add beauty to their daily lives. By doing so, I hope to transmit a sparkle of my passion for the poetry of wood.

 

I create pieces that are exhibited in art and craft galleries. Each piece is a personal and unique design, carefully prepared with sketches, models and detailed drawings. The pieces are then built according to precise processes, using traditional assembly techniques such as mortise and tenon, dovetails and wooden dowels. I use a combination of machine tools and hand tools.

 

Although my construction techniques build on longstanding traditions, the forms I create are both contemporary and refined. Inspiration comes from a variety of sources such as nature or the objects around me. Certain details from furniture of other eras can also serve as a starting point. Often I use my own sensitivity to the subtle variations of texture, color and figure in the different wood species to develop a concept.

 

I use both local and exotic species in order to find combinations of colors and textures that are sometimes predictable, sometimes surprising, but always chosen for balance, harmony and simplicity. I favour a humble approach to the design work; my task is simply to underline the inherent beauty of wood with forms that inspire calmness and serenity.

 

My pieces are distinctive for their exceptional quality of execution, which is based on a solid understanding of the material and an outstanding mastery of technique. Attention to detail and traces of the makers’ hand makes my pieces very appealing to the touch and contribute to their overall quality.

To Reach Me


819.561.7642

studio@karelaelterman.com

www.karelaelterman.com