Paul Vizzari - chairmaker, weaver, restorer.
His purpose.
From his early days of woodworking, Paul Vizarri knew he wanted to make chairs. He studied the iconic work of American Windsor chairmaker Peter Galbert, and quickly fell in love with this way of handling wood - the entire process is done by hand, just as it would have been done in pre-industrial times.
‘You start with a log and break it apart according to its strengths. You use hand tools, following the grain to allow for pieces that are thin and elegant while at the same time incredibly strong,’ explains Paul. This is in contrast to the way modern production chairs are made, which sees wood pushed through machine blades and doesn’t account for these natural properties. That alters what you’re able to design, as bulkier pieces are needed to compensate for weaknesses in the wood.
Though mid-century furniture was born out of an age of mass production, Paul has always been drawn to this style and its focus on light, simple shapes that are better suited to more confined, modern environments. ‘There’s something about making a chair by hand that sits so well with those principles,’ he says.
In turn, Paul’s approach to the craft marries traditional techniques with minimal, clean lines. He works solely with hand tools and sources reclaimed timber from nearby regions of Victoria whenever possible. He also restores midcentury chairs and weaves Danish cord. His work is a reaction against seasonal buying, which is cheap in the short-run, expensive in the long and fills our planet with waste. He builds chairs that will last generations, as many of the original Windsors have done, with functionality, quality and aesthetics in mind, in an effort to help shift consumer thinking in a more sustainable direction.
His process.
To create something with such care is not a task that happens overnight. Paul's process usually begins on paper. He carries a sketch book with him so he can jot down ideas as they come, his favourites of which turn into something three dimensional. He always has at least one prototype in the works, setting aside time each week to tend to it, and leaving it in the corner of his workshop while he completes other projects. ‘After a while,’ he says, ‘I might see things from a new angle and decide to approach it differently, or realise that a certain element would benefit from further refining.' Allowing time and space in this way is an essential part of Paul’s process.
In addition to his own designs, Paul also takes on commissions. Though this process is slightly different, it's invaluable. ‘Clients often come to me with a vision that’s based on something they’ve seen me do, but with their own interpretations and requirements. I love this because it gets me thinking in ways that aren’t solely centred around what I like - it’s challenging, collaborative and can give way to some of the best ideas.’
What keeps him inspired.
Paul’s work is influenced by the Danish mid-century furniture designers (his favourite is Børge Mogensen), and the way in which their principles have stood the test of time. But he also looks beyond the design world for inspiration, to the green landscapes that surround him, and in which he grew up. Spending time outdoors gets him in the right frame of mind to create, but also gives him a sense of place. It nurtures his respect for the land and connects him to the materials with which he works.
