I’m often asked if I do woodcarving, and my answer is always ‘yes’. Other people ask me if I make wooden sculptures, and I tell them ‘yes’ as well. This usually leads to a further question: what exactly is the difference between wooden scultures and carvings in wood?
The answer is not quite so straightforward, as both disciplines share the same material and, in many cases, the same tools. However, their purpose, approach and creative process are different. Thanks to my training both as a woodcarver and cabinetmaker and in Fine Arts, specialising in Sculpture, I have been able to explore and develop both aspects.
A sculptor who works with wood is not necessarily a woodcarver, just as a woodcarver is not necessarily a sculptor. Nevertheless, it is common for sculptors to use carving techniques to shape their works and for woodcarvers, on certain occasions, to create sculptural pieces. The main difference lies in the artistic intention.
Sculpture arises from an idea, a concept or a personal reflection. The sculptor seeks to convey emotions, pose questions or express a vision of the world. Technique is a tool in the service of that idea. For this reason, sculpture requires a more abstract way of thinking and a constant search for balance between volume, space, composition and the meaning of the work. There is, moreover, a creative and even spiritual dimension that makes each piece a unique expression.
Wood carving, on the other hand, is more closely linked to mastery of the craft and technical precision. The carver works primarily on reliefs, textures, and ornamental and decorative elements, as well as low and medium relief. It is a discipline that demands a thorough understanding of wood, its grain and its behaviour, as well as great manual dexterity.
For many years I have carried out carving work on furniture, drawing on my training as a cabinetmaker and woodcarver. Subsequently, my studies in Fine Art broadened my understanding of wood as a medium for artistic expression, enabling me to develop my own sculptural language.
Today, I believe that both disciplines complement one another. Woodcarving provides me with technical rigour and a respect for the craft, whilst sculpture offers me the freedom to transform wood into a work capable of communicating ideas, emotions and sensitivity. It is in this union of technique and creation that I find the essence of my artistic work.
Below, I present some works created in my workshop.
Jean Baptiste Van den Heede
