Description
Sophie Gallardo studied interior design, then trained in the restoration of paint on wood to rehabilitate antique furniture. She acquired ancient techniques from renowned professionals, and she mainly works with birch bark.
Sophie Gallardo and Georges-Guillaume Cassan’s work allows them to valorise the birch bark that is scattered throughout the forest. They invented an atypical process while developing a unique expertise in the world: birch bark marquetry to decorate the furniture of the Haute Epoque.
The choice of this type of bark imposed itself on the two creators, on the one hand, thanks to the singularity of this white tree spotted with black, and on the other hand, thanks to the symbolism of the birch which is a sacred tree for the Amerindians, symbol of wisdom.
Each piece is unique and requires several months of work. They work on beautifully crafted furniture (from the 17th century to the 1970s), often playing with imperfections in the bark and accidents in the material to create graphic forms and singular patterns.
This birch bark veneer is then inlaid, in a sparse manner, with a wide variety of minerals such as labradorite, rock crystal or amethyst. This process gives the furniture a natural and whimsical appearance, transforming each piece into a cabinet of curiosities.