Veluwe national park, the Netherlands
A Series of Wooden Objects
Arne Kristian is an artist-designer and ever since he
was young he has been helping around at his family’s estates forest.
Nowadays, out of the lumber he collects on his days in the woods, he makes sculptural furniture.
Minimalistic objects aimed to find the balance between sculptural and functional design. Objects shaped by hand, out of own wood harvested in a sustainable way.
Arne Kristian, artist-designer
“I mostly enjoy experimenting and trying to push the boundaries, defying conventional rules to explore new possibilities.”
The wood used for Arne Kristian’s designs is grown and harvested at the private estate of Klein Boeschoten, one of the best preserved forests of the Netherlands located at the well known Veluwe National park.
"From an early age, I frequently assisted with work in the Veluwe forest at my family's estate. The smell of the forest, the peace and quiet, and the space there really has something magical. Today, I continue to contribute, but now I craft objects from the wood I harvest."
These trees are watched over for decades and carefully selected to get the best lumber. Oak is chosen for its robustness, versatility and fine grain.
"I collect lumber from trees that need to be removed due to their excessive shading. I carefully select and cut only what I need, leaving the rest in the forest to support the natural ecosystem."
"In the early years, my work was characterized by endless experimentation with various shapes and treatments. Over the past year, however, I have adopted a more focused approach.
I mostly enjoy experimenting and trying to push the boundaries, defying conventional rules to explore new possibilities. My process typically begins with a burst of ideas, which I then translate into sketches or models. I quickly sketch out these ideas, and evaluate their proportions within a given space. Once satisfied, I proceed with planing and sanding the final piece.
Only at the very end do I consider the construction, ensuring that it does not impede my design or creation process. I don’t want to make concessions out of fear that it won't work; we’ll see about that later."