Handcrafted Tradition – Original Chair Designs by Paul Vizzari
Echoing the artisanal methods of a sculptor, Paul Vizzari creates one-of-a-kind furniture by hand. Each original chair design utilises locally-sourced raw material, re-formed to es-tablish an elegant piece of functional craft.
Settled into his home workshop in the Melbourne suburb of Eltham, Paul creates chairs that honour the connection between the human form and the structures made to accommodate it. Alongside developing his signature collection of chairs, Paul also takes on the challenge of applying his skills to a client brief, producing bespoke designs that complement their space. As an organic material de-fined by visual variation, wood is Paul’s medium of choice, lending each chair its own unique pres-ence. Sourcing the timber locally, the chair-maker champions sustainability and references the col-ours of the inspiring Australian landscape, within which certain species of timber exist exclusively.
Paul’s personal approach to chair-making emerges from his many years spent studying. Under the tutelage of two seasoned artisans, Paul learnt to make traditional Windsor and post and rung chairs using post-industrial techniques. These draw upon the foundational concepts of chair-making, re-quiring the craftsperson to follow the grain of the wood and use its inherent strengths in order to create durable, geometric pieces. With a core skill set established, Paul learnt to create Danish mid-century modern chairs through restoration work, pulling pieces apart and analysing their key char-acteristics – it was during this time that he not only memorised the methods and conditions re-quired to weave Danish cord but came to understand how it influences and interacts with the pro-cess of chair design.
As all Paul Vizzari chairs are made by hand; no piece is a carbon copy of another. Instead, the influence of the maker is felt in slight variations in the surface presentation or the way in which one element is carved to meet another – such idiosyncrasies result in one-of-a-kind chairs that satisfy individual tastes. The soulful character of the chairs is enhanced by their ethical origins – all utilised timber is either FSC Certified or reclaimed – and inherent longevity. “The aesthetics of my work doesn’t finish the day it leaves my workshop,” says Paul. “Next, it’s the turn of the owner and time to work upon it. There’s nothing more beautiful than the patina a chair gains over the years from interactions with its owner, environment and even sunlight”.
