Several times we just cruised, looking around and being curious. One day in 2006, on the Presqu'île de Crozon, while driving eastwards to head for Châteaulin, there was a wooden sign that said «Le Tourneur de Kerhoc» — hey, perhaps a wood turner? wow, could be interesting! Let's take that road … … and it was a really long and winding road …
«champignon» (detail)
Finally we got to Paul Moyon's house. A calm place, he was working, and we gently knocked at the door. Monsieur Paul never met us before, but we were warmly welcomed. He showed us his shop, explained the qualities of different woods and the hidden characters of some trees, I learnt a lot about basic rules to handle their nature, we enjoyed the birth of a «champignon», and he never got tired to answer stupid amateur questions. In between he went away — he wanted to continue his work — but I never had to feel bad, he always came back, and our discussion kept going on; it was just a fine place to be.
«wapples»
Monsieur Paul creates really nice souvenirs like champignons («Glückspilze», perfect mojos) and a superbe variety of what I call «wapples» (wooden apples). But there is a lot more to see, to touch, and to smell — there is high level artistic craftwork.
«fleur», 24.9 cm x ~2 mm/~5 cm
A fine example of his ability is the «fleur»: Imagine a one foot long two inches thick limb that turn by turn, worked with patience, sense and sensibility becomes a flower with a stem being just ~2 mm. It is shaped out of one piece, there are no joints, there is no glue … just masterfully handled wood.
simply simple bowls
In his shop you find several products, small presents, useful kitchen tools and household objects, as well as office gadgets too. But what I like the most, what I do truly admire is when Paul Moyon backs the roots, transforming wood still smelling the tree; that is when art is present, and he being the artist.
platter, oak, ø ~37.5 cm
grand plat, oak, ø ~46 cm; this piece of wood is about 300 years old …
more than 200 years as an oak plus around 70 years aging on a lumberyard
In spring 2007 Paul Moyon moved South and settled in the historic town of La Roche-Bernard, where he installed his atelier and wants to set up a crosspoint for wood turners; and he offers courses to learn wood turning basics too. We revisited him, spent some time there, and enjoyed it again. So if you have the opportunity to pause at La Roche-Bernard: It is worth to do it — not only, but surely too because of Monsieur Paul.
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«Ceci n'est pas un champignon» (ni une pipe ;-), bowl, elm, ø ~43 cm |
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