Andreja Lukanic Janezic Biography

Biography

I live in a rural town in Slovenia. Slovenia is one of the most unspoiled and cleanest countries in the middle of Europe. More than 75% of Slovenia is covered by wood. As you can see it is almost natural that we are connected with wood from our early days. Not far from my house is one of the biggest forests of Europe, with ancient woodland, natural habitat of bear, wolf, lynx, deer ... Kočevski Rog and Poljanska gora. Here flows river Kolpa, which is so clean that you can actually drink from it. Nature all around me inspire me in my work.

I'm married, mother of four, three girls and a boy. I'm devoted to my family and my passion to working with wood.
Simplicity is the right word that describes me. Books are my friends from early days of my childhood but I wish I would have more time for reading these days. I'm one of those who would vote for 36 hours day :) Music is important in my life, from classic to old rock. I have a small garden with plants of tomato, peppers, cabbage, onions... cooking Mediterranean dishes which I'm enjoying the most.

I like travel and collect pieces of wood and stones on my travels and use them in my work.

Woodworking is not my profession. I am a Geographer and used to teach in primary school. Working with woods came spontaneously few years ago when my husband built wooden play house for children. Suddenly I discovered a new world for me. I saw shapes and forms whispered a call to me to unveil them.

Nature of wood and my ability to create out of it any shape I wished attracted me.

My dialog with material developed in time. I listened to the wood's grains, rings and knots, the wood responded to my tools.

The real passion sprouted when I discovered torched spruce wood finishing technique. The wood irrevocably caught me. While similar to Shou-Sugi-Ban, I nevertheless developed my own technique.

My source of wood come from local woods already cut for other purposes. It means no tree has been cut with a reason to serve my goals. I tend to use only natural and pure materials and finishes

 

All products are made by hand. What I want to say is that I don't have a laser to use it for laser cutting, so each piece is made only by using simple tools by hand.!!!!! This is probably the reason why my pieces follow natural shapes of wood, they are different sorts of wavy, curvy and roundly :) only when I want to highlight some characteristics of the wood itself I cut it with sharp lines.

Working with wood is pure pleasure for me. When I create an article I'm trying to stress his story, his years of growth, its unity and diversity.

~Andreja Lukanic Janezic