Meet the Artisan
USA
Christian Nyberg
Inspired by the Japanese art of Shou Sugi Ban (also known as Yakisugi), artisan Christian Nyberg burns his wooden pieces of furniture and décor. Adding his own modern design insight and a technique that asks nature to help, his work is unique to the craft.
As the artist explains, his first step is to place hardwood embers on a hardwood board and let them burn the piece of wood. He scrapes, repeats, then puts the whole piece in the fire. He lets the heat and flames dictate the final shape of the piece. After the piece is burned, it is scraped again, sanded, then washed, removing all remaining loose char.
The black that is remaining is in the grain of the wood. The piece is then oiled and waxed with products that are all-natural and food safe.