Vejdi Avsar - Woodworker & Custom Furniture Maker from Houston, TX
The smell of freshly cut pine, sweet sound of the hand-saw, and whistle of the hand-planer. They were enough for Vejdi Avsar to choose woodworking as a career. He began when he was ten years old with sweeping the workshop floor. In his teenage years, he worked in the building trade after school. These two love affairs enabled him to master two crafts.
In 1986, he moved to London and, while there, attended London City and Guilds Advanced Craft Furniture Making. In 1994, his woodworking adventure continued in Houston, Texas, USA where he built a new house and workshop in 1997. Since then, he has been making fine furniture in his workshop.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Every stage of designing and making furniture should have its individual space and time, without interference from each other, but referring to each other. This way of thinking only comes with experience, and being judgmental, and being not biased towards your own piece of furniture.
I believe this is how we learn from ourselves, and from our own pieces of furniture. We are as good as our last piece. Approaching any commission with this state of mind elevates us to a new level, and then that becomes our last piece.
When I was studying Advanced Craft Furniture Making, I learned to have a free mind approach, but this doesn’t mean arrogantly designing a piece of furniture and expecting people to admire it. As a designer
and maker, I could say, it’s like having two minds in one body, in harmony, and knowing when to turn one on and turn one off.
Since this is my way of working, I choose to run a small workshop, and generally work with a small number of customers a year. Consequently, I preserve my quality and integrity resulting in happy
customers, often exceeding their expectations, and raising their awareness of true craftsmanship and quality. One thing I am sure of is that with all mydesigns and furniture, making a profit was never my prime motivation, and I never sacrificed a unique and good idea because of money or hard
work.
For more information see his website at www.vejdiavsar.com
In 1986, he moved to London and, while there, attended London City and Guilds Advanced Craft Furniture Making. In 1994, his woodworking adventure continued in Houston, Texas, USA where he built a new house and workshop in 1997. Since then, he has been making fine furniture in his workshop.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Every stage of designing and making furniture should have its individual space and time, without interference from each other, but referring to each other. This way of thinking only comes with experience, and being judgmental, and being not biased towards your own piece of furniture.
I believe this is how we learn from ourselves, and from our own pieces of furniture. We are as good as our last piece. Approaching any commission with this state of mind elevates us to a new level, and then that becomes our last piece.
When I was studying Advanced Craft Furniture Making, I learned to have a free mind approach, but this doesn’t mean arrogantly designing a piece of furniture and expecting people to admire it. As a designer
and maker, I could say, it’s like having two minds in one body, in harmony, and knowing when to turn one on and turn one off.
Since this is my way of working, I choose to run a small workshop, and generally work with a small number of customers a year. Consequently, I preserve my quality and integrity resulting in happy
customers, often exceeding their expectations, and raising their awareness of true craftsmanship and quality. One thing I am sure of is that with all mydesigns and furniture, making a profit was never my prime motivation, and I never sacrificed a unique and good idea because of money or hard
work.
For more information see his website at www.vejdiavsar.com