Christian Burchard is a master woodturner based in Southern Oregon. Christian Burchard creates distinctive, organic wood sculptures from his studio in Southern Oregon, working almost exclusively with the indigenous Pacific Madrone wood. Known for its unpredictable movement as it dries, madrone provides the perfect medium for Burchard’s transformative process.
Each piece begins while the wood is still green and supple. Burchard carefully turns the wet wood into flowing, undulating vessels and sculptural forms. As the pieces dry, they are left to crack, warp, and shift naturally, embracing the unpredictable transformation that occurs with time. The resulting sculptures are both delicate and dynamic, celebrating imperfection and the wild nature of the material.
Christian Burchard’s journey began in traditional furniture making, where he developed a deep respect for craftsmanship and the nature of wood. He went on to study sculpture and drawing at the Museum School in Boston and later at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, Canada.
“I have been working with wood for most of my life. We are comfortable with each other; we have a close relationship and I value that connection immensely.”
His work has been exhibited in major galleries and museums across the United States and internationally, gaining recognition in the world of contemporary wood art and craft.
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Dates
1955 Born
1974-75 Furniture Apprenticeship, Hamburg, Germany
1977-78 Sculpture, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
1978-79 Sculpture, Emily Carr College, Vancouver, B..C.
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