O2 wood

The beauty of the shape when woodturning comes not only from the hand, but above all from the eye. Being able to see the shape of a bowl in a piece of wood is a gift. I try to upgrade it with a personal style, that is growing with each new piece created on the lathe. I try to connect tradition and innovation into an art form that respects heritage and creates new ones. My inspiration comes from observing nature and from the energy and beauty of the old architecture that surrounds me, with its textures, color shades and monumentality. As an art historian, I developed a sense of aesthetics, based on my knowledge of Slovenian and world art and crafts. However, I decided to start my own creative path, to work with my hands, only after 20 years of business career. My material is wood. Slovenia is a beautiful country, more than half of its area is covered with ancient forests. Oak, walnut, maple, yew ... are among those trees that offer the most valuable types of wood. Each tree has its own story. The worm holes tell about the past life, the grain testifies to growth, certain color shades talk to us about injuries, frosts, lightning strikes ... My wish is to show this story, not with words, but with revealing both its beauty and flaws – the mistakes and injuries acquired in the course of life. If you want to create something that communicates timeless truth through its beauty, you need to have an ear for the material and its language. You have to feel the beauty of the wood. Among the things that are most important to me in life is caring for the natural environment. I believe we need to learn how to change our lifestyle to make it sustainable, friendly to the earth, to the air, to the water. Objects made of wood store the CO2 used by the tree in the process of photosynthesis. As long as the product is in use, this CO2 is not returned to the atmosphere. In this small way, I, the manufacturer, as well as you, the buyers and users of wooden products, contribute a small stone to the preservation of nature for our descendants. Have you ever observed someone holding a beautifully crafted wooden object in their hands? They hold it with respect. The natural warmth of the wood and the silky smooth feel of the surface offer tactile pleasure like almost no other material. The wood has a pleasant smell and is characterized by a variety of color tones, patterns and structures. Every piece I create is a unique experience for me. In each I try to find an inner balance and shape it so that it fully embodies the beauty and richness of the tree from which it came. Metka Zver, creator and designer of O2 Turning Wood