WELCOME

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Gueule de Bois — Evelyne van Dam

Woodturning art studio in Ardèche, France

Gueule de Bois was born from an intimate relationship with wood and gesture. Based in Ardèche, in a raw and vibrant landscape, I work wood as a sensitive material — one that carries memory, movement, and tension.

I turn, I carve, I transform. Wood is at the center of everything. I observe it, listen to it, and adapt to what it reveals. Each species has its own character, density, and way of responding to the tool. Knots, cracks, and irregularities are never erased; they become compositional elements, distinctive marks.

My work exists at the boundary between object and sculpture. Vessels, organic forms, and mixed wood-and-metal pieces are conceived as autonomous works of art. The lines are inspired by the vegetal world, by growth and natural tensions. Nothing is standardized. Each piece is unique.

Woodturning is a practice of presence. The body is fully engaged, and time is essential. In the studio, gesture is in constant dialogue with the rotating material. It requires slowing down, allowing the form to emerge, and accepting what the wood imposes.

I mainly work with locally sourced woods, selected for their nobility and their history. This approach reflects a deep respect for the material and for the living world. Creating in Ardèche directly influences my work: the forms, volumes, and rhythms carry the imprint of the territory.

Some pieces combine wood with metal elements, such as copper, which emphasize lines, extend forms, and create a balance between strength and delicacy. These contrasts are an integral part of my artistic language.

I also create custom-made pieces, in dialogue with those who wish to commission a singular work. Each project is an encounter — an intention, a use, a piece of wood, a conversation.

Gueule de Bois is a studio where wood becomes language, where craftsmanship turns into creation, and where each piece tells a story — the story of material, gesture, and time.