Jan Waterston established his studio in 2016, with the goal to explore the junction between art, craft, and design. Driven by forms ability to disrupt a space, objects are realised through traditional exploration of material, and grounded through conceptual meaning.
Working independently from his UK based studio, Jan offers a range of speculative works, commission pieces, and furniture collections, all exclusively made to order. Speculative works explore abstract ideas and are realised through the deep practical study of both material and process, with limited editions being crafted to order. Often inspired by these speculative pieces, commissioned works are developed to compliment a client's distinct vision, whilst the pieces developed as part of the concept collections explore one central theme and are grounded in functionality. To date, Jan has undertaken international collaborations with architects, interior designers, curators, and private collectors.
''As the seasoning to architecture, I believe that furniture is the tangible part of a space, providing individuals with the opportunity to form a meaningful connection to their surroundings. It is the uncertain poise of my furniture that holds a space and invites people in, whilst woods resonance makes the object relatable, encouraging an instinctive exploration of each piece and its environment. I aim to achieve a notion of unfamiliar harmony through a subtle balance of visual softness, graphic awkwardness, and physical functionality. A recipe that creates a sense of hesitation and intrigue, offering the intended experience of delicate disturbance.''
Jan originally completed a traditional City and Guilds in cabinet making, later going on to the prestigious Rycotewood Furniture School where he obtained a first-class hon in Furniture Design and Fine Craft. On graduating, he undertook a yearlong residency at The Sylva Wood Foundation where he continued to refine his practice, alongside winning multiple industry awards. Following this, Jan founded his studio where he now strives to further develop his traditional woodworking methods in combination with contemporary processes, whilst keeping the material firmly at the centre of his practice.
''Wood is the essential element that grounds all my work. Compelled to do justice to the material, I take a sensitive but instinctive approach, resulting in a deep understanding of the material, its inherent nature, and its unique qualities. This is a practice of patience, a purposeful contradiction to contemporary life, executed through a traditional woodworking practice. Inspired by the arrangements and tactility's provided by the natural world, a sense of spirit and individual identity is instilled in each piece, personifying woods living qualities. Originality is crafted through refined obscurities, whilst each piece retains it familiarity of conventional form and function. Choosing to sculpt with this unusually hard material offers the opportunity to show a softer side of its common visual identify, with pieces offering a graphic smoothness and poise.''
