Beech

Wood artist Ruud Jaspers is an autodidact. His astonishment at the incredible structure of wood is the source of inspiration for his remarkable and fragile objects. He states, ‘What is wood, really, and when does wood become wood? A tree in the forest is not wood – it is a living being!’ His fascination for the spiral shape is because of its omnipresence in the world within and without:
‘From spiral galaxies to tiny little snakes, from ferns and sun flowers to human DNA, this primordial form can be found everywhere. It is a beautiful image for development and evolution.’
Moreover, the spiral plays a vital role in Aikido, an art of war which he practiced for years. ‘You never go directly against the force or will of your training partner, instead always implementing the spiral movement around it, which is much more effective and costs less energy.’
For his sculptures, Ruud Jaspers uses wood with a story. ‘Cracks, gnarls, occasionally worm holes, fungi, diseases, ingrown bark tissue: all these things make the wood interesting.’ He prefers to use indigenous wood, but sometimes uses tropical wood, in which case he ensures it is ethically sourced.
Biography
Ruud Jaspers was born in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. He started his career by making toys and ornaments from wood and gradually became increasingly fascinated by the structure of this material. He strives to bring out the best in the wood, and so his first sculptures came into being as a matter of course.