Handcrafted wooden cat furniture made by Emmanuel Landais, wood turner

"At the beginning, there is the tree in the hollow of nature... sometimes twisted, gnarled, sometimes straight, satiny, often generous by its perfumes but always marked by the elements. He carries within him the scars of his life. On the wood lathe, the magic operates under the tools of the turner: the first shards of shavings springing up, a hammering noise, harsh then slowly everything becomes soft, smooth, harmonious… the shaving becomes ribbon… the object takes shape… A new life begins.”

Emmanuel Landais is a wood-turner in Chartreuse. He works the wood by hand in his workshop At the roots of the beech. Retrospective of his journey and his love of wood

Why did you become a woodturner?

I have a very special connection with wood, which is surely linked to my own family history. This passion was transmitted to me by my father and my grandfather. They called themselves amateurs but still created the furniture for our whole family with their hands. I observed very young that when nature makes a tree fall, craftsmanship gives it a second life.

Tortuous, knotty, straight or satiny, each wood is marked by the elements. It carries within it the stigmata of its own life and makes it rare and incomparable. A wooden object is an object that lasts over time and crosses generations.

Can you tell us more about this know-how?

My mission is to sublimate what nature has given me. According to its experience, wood guides my work and when I cut it or turn it, I discover through its unique set of lines a whole universe. Trees are living beings and allow us to read according to the appearance of their tree rings, the odyssey of their life. Thanks to this, my creations are unique, durable and tell a story. Often, when you touch my objects, you instinctively feel life and warmth. It is for this reason that I create. I want to reinvent the authentic and invite nature into homes.

This know-how is transmitted from generation to generation. Can you tell us more about your family history and the transmission of craftsmanship?

I haven't received any real training. I rather inherited a passion for nature and a sensitivity for the handmade. In fact, I am somewhat self-taught and I refine my expertise by working and even sharing with other craftsmen. I am curious, I seek, I understand and I try to move forward. The realization of the spheres for design cat trees Bogarel

Since wood is a living material, it evolves, swells and can split over time. To achieve a globe with perfect curves, without the risk of failure, I had to go further to develop my protocol and my know-how.

Bogarel called on you for its collection of designer furniture for cats. In which other sector does your know-how come into play? (art? architecture?)

I mainly create everyday objects with local wood from sawmills or private individuals. I like to produce decorative objects such as vases, tableware such as plates or mugs as well as children's games. I also collaborate with cabinet makers, gourmet restaurants and I work on interior design projects. All my pieces are unique and customizable with laser and more rarely, I exhibit my most designer creations in a gallery. However, I dedicate most of my time to the production of luxury Bogarel cat furniture. Zénith and Solar creations require a lot of work, finesse and patience.

Each craftsman has his own sensitivity and brings a personal touch to the object. How would you describe your style?

My know-how is influenced by Asian curves in Japanese style. My creations are therefore focused on finesse in order to offer lighter lines and a more pleasant touch. Finally, and to keep this spirit in the realization of cat spheres, I turn my pieces with a spherical machine and hollow them out by hand with traditional tools.

Could you tell us about the manufacturing process of a Bogarel solid wood sphere?

First of all and before any creative process, I get the raw material. The wood for the Bogarel spheres comes from the Rhône Alpes region and I buy it from a small sawmill right next to my house. I get whole trunks cut into boards 65mm long. In the workshop, I cut them and glue them together to make large trays that I in turn cut into discs. Then, I make a collage of 4 discs per half-sphere that I hollow out by hand. I realize the outside of the sphere with the sphereuse first, then on the lathe with the gouge that I open at the end of the realization to create the opening for the cats. Finally, I refine my work and oil my creation to reveal the wood rings. The whole process of creating a single Bogarel sphere takes 7 full days.

How does your activity fit into a sustainable development approach and/or contribute to the protection of the environment?

As a passionate craftsman, I know how much sustainability, the local economy and the protection of the environment are necessary for the good development of our societies. I make it a point of honour that my wood comes from protected French forests and that my finishes are made with virgin ecological oil, without chemicals or resin. Also, all my scraps and shavings are reused either recycled by a farmer friend or farmers. Whether in terms of creation, sale or project, all my choices are eco-conscious.