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This is a place where the visitors are confronted with their search for a personal touch and where they have an opportunity to get acquainted with a skilled expert, who has turned durability and tradition into a personal passion.
I hope this will become a valued and rich source of inspiration and knowledge. Please Leave comments and enjoy your visit. Please note text and pictures on this blog are Copyright protected.

Tuesday 31 July 2012

CARVING A ROCOCO-ORNAMENT | Museum aan het Vrijthof | Patrick Damiaens Ornamental Woodcarver

Ornamental Woodcarver Patrick Damiaens
Carving a ROCOCO - ornament in oak
For the Museum aan het Vrijthof 
in Maastricht (Netherlands)
  









The museum is a historical house on the famous Vrijthof square with something for both tourists and the residents of Maastricht. The museum presents the history of those who lived in the city of Maastricht in the form of art works and in beautifully designed everyday objects from furniture to horsemen's guns, from silver candelabras to watches. The interior of the room makes way a few times each year for exhibitions. 

However, the focus always lies on the five centuries of the entire city of Maastricht’s cultural identity. It is a history we display to be discovered, explained and experienced. That is the reason the Museum aan het Vrijthof, which up until recently was also known as the Museum of the Spanish Government, exists. 
Drink in the spirit of Maastricht. Feel the history. Admire arts and crafts from the past. Lose yourself in the sensation of becoming part of life in the 18th century. You will be given the opportunity to gain knowledge, to see where the connections lie, and to simply enjoy so many of the beautiful things produced by Maastricht’s artists and craftsmen in the past.



WOODCARVING: Patrick Damiaens  at the " Museum Aan Het Vrijthof "   Maastricht in the Netherlands.Patrick Damiaens at work.
The making of an Rococo-ornament in oak.









WOODCARVING : Patrick Damiaens (Belgium)  made a German Rococo Applique for this Museum in Maastricht  in the Netherlands . The work will be displayed in the permanent collection of the museum together with this film. To give the visitor a better picture of the complexity of the work of a mastercraftsman. 

More info at


  This little movie was made by producer Vincent Oudendijk  


Main sponsor of the Museum renovation is 
 "The European Fine Art  Fair "  
The TEFAF Maastricht .

http://www.tefaf.com
https://www.patrickdamiaens.info

ARCHITECTURAL WOODCARVINGS FOR KITCHENS | ORNAMENTAL CARVING IN WOOD



PATRICK DAMIAENS
Ornamental Woodcarver

CARVED  ORNAMENTS
FOR KITCHENS










Patrick Damiaens woodcarving Studio manufactures ornamental detail for kitchens, unique designs which include: corbels for kitchen cabinets,  wood carvings for historic homes  and historic preservation.

Ornamental detail for kitchen cabinets, individually and personally, every design and execution is unique.

Whether it is for listed buildings , custom home builders or for people with specific wishes.

Carved Garland for a kitchen

Timeless craftsmanship. Each piece is an original, designed and crafted to you personal desires by Patrick Damiaens wood carving studio. 

These superbly hand-carved pieces are fashioned and timeless. Much care and time is taken on each project to ensure the carving quality and design achieve perfection.

Classic and Period style carvings. 

Carved Festoon in Limewood



We also make woodcarvings for entry-doors,  custom furniture, Liege style furniture, fireplace mantels,  staircase parts…. 



MORE INFORMATION BY:
WEBSITE

Thursday 12 July 2012

CARVING A LIEGE-STYLE ORNAMENT | LIEGE STYLE FURNITURE | CUSTOM-MADE WOODCARVING




The different stages for creating an Liege Style ornament in wood.
  
1 - The first job consists of making a rough sketch using a red sketching pencil. The pattern may come from an original model (on condition that any imperfections in it have been removed) or be a personal creation, produced in the same spirit as in the 18th century.



2 - The rough sketch is then completely rubbed out. The exact shape however, which is thickened with a pencil, is still preserved. Subsequent alterations remain possible at this stage. This phase is very important (because a poor design automatically means a poor end result).


3 - The correct design is redrawn on tracing paper and at the same time fixed onto the wood by means of drawing pins. The design is then transferred onto the wood using tracing paper and a scriber.The pattern can now be found on the panel.



4 - The ornamentist roughly removes the wood surrounding the design by means of a router, thus creating a surface suited for carving.


5 - He removes any rough edges and excess wood from the surface using a home-made scraper.


6 - The actual carving can now take place. This phase is called modeling. Many years of study and in-depth experience are of crucial importance during this phase.

7 - This is the phase where we begin to notice the importance of appropriately handling the router. During the modeling stages the original drawing disappears. The pattern on the panel is later redrawn by means of a marker.

 8 - The design is traced correctly. At this stage wood chisels are used for drawing purposes. One should be careful not to carve into the surface, leaving the possibility to make some minor alterations when necessary.

9 - Excess wood surrounding the design is removed.



10 - The surface is now properly finished. Any rough edges and excess wood are removed with the scraper.

11 - The extension of the ogee, positioned by the cabinetmaker, is done. It is essential that this be identical to the part fixed by machine.


12 - This is the most important phase of the pattern. Ornaments are measured to perfection. A proper understanding of the depth and relief of the ornament and the ability to estimate the maximum depth of the ornament are essential, as are routine and experience in handling the material. The use of plaster models and visual material can be very useful during this stage.

13 - The panel is finished and can now be returned to the cabinetmaker in order for it to be treated and incorporated into the intended piece of furniture.


More information about wood carvings and ornaments, Liège and Aachen Style Furniture.
My Website:www.patrickdamiaens.info


www.patrickdamiaens.be

Wednesday 11 July 2012

CUSTOM-MADE Stair-newels | HAND-CARVED Staircase parts | CARVED ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL

Ornamental woodcarver Patrick Damiaens .
Custom-made Stair-newels, Carved Staircase parts
 










Designing and manufacturing of artisanal woodcarving and ornaments for staircases and Carved Stair-newel posts . Carved Stairparts 
Personal creations and  Custom-made reproductions..
 With respect, patience and a lot of artistic craft the woodcarver carves each motive until he finds theright expression and character.
 

Carved Stair-newel

Hence, each piece of Furniture, realisation and application is unique and cannot be executed twice in the same way.
Thus, each creation obtains a timeless and exclusive aura and will always radiate a certain valu efor people who want to decorate their interiors to the highest level of craftmanship.
Carved Stairparts




carved Stairnewel








» Reproductions and personal creations of the 18th-century Liégeois
Furniture style.
» Artisan realisation and custom-made woodcarving and ornaments
for stairs, paneling, chimney-pieces, doors, family coats
of arms, ...
» Restoration and reconstruction of ornaments.


Member of Pearls of Craftsmanship









MASTER WOODCARVER | Ornamental Woodcarver | Patrick Damiaens


Master Craftsman  
Beautiful and highly ornamented Liège-style furniture is still being carved today, thanks to the specialist skills of master Woodcarver Patrick Damiaens.

by Denzil Walton

Patrick Damiaens Ornamental woodcarver
 In the 17th century the Belgian town of Liège became highly prosperous due to its coal mining, metal processing and glass refining industries. It evolved into a fashionable residence for princes, aristocracy and wealthy merchants who had money to spend on lavish, expensive carved furniture. 
The best craftsmen from the surrounding region were invited to work in Liège. The city soon became famous for its Liège-style furniture. It is characterized by beautifully and delicately carved ornaments, usually with a thickness of only 5 mm. 400 years on, Liège-style furniture is still being created and carved to the highest levels of quality. 


From his workshop in Maaseik, Belgium, Patrick Damiaens is a reassuring reminder that even in these days of mass-manufactured furniture, there is still a demand for the traditional skills of a master artisan. 
Damiaens (46) is the only full-time ornamental wood carver in Flanders – the Dutch-speaking half of Belgium – a unique position of which he is immensely proud. “There are a few part-timers and hobbyists in Flanders, but no-one who earns his living doing what I do,” he says.

Carved panelling
What he does is certainly impressive. He works in close cooperation with four colleagues: a staircase-maker, two cabinet-makers and a furniture restorer. 

Between them they turn planks of rough French oak into the most stunningly attractive cupboards, chests of drawers, wardrobes, door frames, staircases, stereo cabinets and decorative panels. “In fact, if you have the budget, we could make and decorate virtually any item of furniture,” Damiaens exclaims enthusiastically.

Liege style furniture

To make an item of Liège-style furniture is a highly complex process. The preparatory technical drawings can take a full month, as every item of furniture decorated by Damiaens is unique and requires a totally new set of drawings. 
His first task is to make a rough sketch of the pattern, which might be based on an original item of furniture or created uniquely by Damiaens himself and drawn in the Liège-style. 

This is then presented to the customer, and after any necessary amendments are made, the final technical drawing is redrawn on tracing paper and pinned to the selected panel of wood. The design is then transferred onto the wood, which in most cases is French oak.
The next stage is the only time that Damiaens uses a machine (apart from one to sharpen his tools). He skilfully manipulates an electric milling machine to remove the bulk of the wood surrounding the design, after which the actual hand carving can begin.

Damiaens first uses a home-made scraper to remove the rough edges and excess wood missed by the milling machine, before bringing his vast collection of Swiss-made razor-sharp wood carving chisels into action. Once the carving is completed, the panel is returned to the cabinet-maker who treats it and incorporates it into the intended item of furniture.
Grinling Gibbons Style of Carving

 One reason why Damiaens likes his job is the variety of projects he is asked to undertake. As well as the larger items of furniture which take a year to complete, he carves and decorates a range of smaller items. At the end of a long working day he tries to find time to work on projects for his own house. He is currently building and decorating new kitchen cabinets.
Grinling Gibbons High-relief carving

 As to the future, Damiaens likes to set himself new carving challenges, his latest being to work in the style of Grinling Gibbons, one of his heroes. “Working mostly in lime wood, Gibbons is particularly well-known for his exquisite cascades of flowers, fruit and leaves, which were applied to paneling, furniture, walls and even chimneys,” explains Damiaens. “So detailed were his carvings that in certain light they look natural and lifelike, and have been likened to lacework. I think he is the finest wood carver of all time.”

By Denzil Walton
 More information : www.patrickdamiaens.info



Custom-made restoration of Woodcarvings | Restoration of the PULPIT of St-Ann in Bruges | DOVE IN SOUNDBOARD PULPIT


A new pigeon (Holy Spirit) for the soundboard of the pulpit St-Ann in Bruges.

Patrick Damiaens
Ornamental Wood Carver

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The St. Anne's Church has an eventful history. The St. Anna parish  was originally part of St Cross Parish within the city walls of 1297 , she was safe and was independent in 1668. The first church was demolished  during the Calvinist regime in 1581.


Between 1607 and 1621, a new Gothic church was built with the old materials in the shape of a church hall.

Of these
, only the slender tower is in the original form, because  the church underwent a Baroque metamorphosis. In 1657 the wooden arch it was replaced by a  brick vout and their own baroque form. At that time the church received an extraordinary baroque decoration.
Does who enter the church with the feeling of  ‘Entering a simple village church’ , will be amazed at the baroque wealth of the interior, making the St. Anne's Church of Bruges the title of 'livingroom church' .



From the wealth we propose a few oddities for, and let the other on your interests during your visit. Even the central copper chandelier is still the original.
Central to the carved panelling at the right side , the baroque pulpit (1670) sculpted by Maarten Moenaert.


Before the Council of Trent had the homily of the priest at a place ambo or a lectern at the altar or at the door of the choir. Because the Catholic Reformation emphasized the Faith, a pulpit was placed between the people, which for the sermon the preacher addressed.

 
The pulpit consists  a staircase, a support block, a tub and a sounding board. A baroque pulpit was in very different ways with beliefs symbols decorated. Parsons made ​​frequent use of such imagery, so that the faithful not only enjoyed the word but also of the eye.


The support block of the pulpit is formed by three intertwined angels,putti , a masterpiece of  Flemish Baroque woodcarving.


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This is the new pigeon (holy spirit) for the soundboard of the pulpit. anno 2012

It
will  also be gilded.


Symbolism: The dove in the soundboard, which is unusually wide extending  above the pulpit, is the symbol H. Spirit, the dove under the soundboard, which is surround sends powerful rays of the divine mercy .






More information : PATRICK DAMIAENS