"I went walking for 30 days. For me, it was a kind of meditation, deep and long, which brought to light what I no longer wanted and who I wanted to be."
MARIE-OCÉANE SCERRI
LOUMOS ATELIER
CABINETMAKER, Saint Martin de Caralp (09)
Marie-Océane shares her life path with us, and how her quest for meaning led her to become who she wanted to be: a cabinetmaker
Tell us your story, how did you find your calling?
I initially had a career in advertising in Paris for several years. Then, as the years went by, I began to question things more and more. I could no longer find any meaning in it; I was unhappy and anxious because my job represented the exact opposite of who I was. I went off walking for 30 days. For me, it was a kind of deep and long meditation that brought to light what I no longer wanted and who I wanted to be. Upon returning from this journey, even though I wasn't really handy at the time, I decided to retrain and earn a vocational certificate in cabinetmaking in 2019.
How would you describe your style and your artistic approach in a few words?
For my sculptures, I would say my approach is poetic, tender, simple, and organic.
For furniture, I seek timelessness and clean lines that will endure over time.
What themes or subjects inspire you most in your work?
Nature and softness. But my primary source of inspiration for the sculptures is the offcut itself. I always lose myself for a few minutes in the grain to observe the curves, the knots, the variations in color. Once immersed, the form comes to me. They are all unique and all have their own singularities.
As for furniture, I have a particular admiration for Japanese design. There is a balance, a magnificent simplicity.
How do you work?
For the sculptures, depending on the size of the offcuts, I sometimes redraw, recut, and refine the thickness to reach the desired size. During these steps, I use machines that allow me to rough out the whole piece. Once the outline is drawn, I remove the material with a bandsaw. Then comes the handwork, which is very dear to me. This is the moment when I come into contact with the wood. I gauge the necessary force; some woods are denser than others and require more patience to be sculpted. A gentle reminder that things take time and must be earned.
As I gradually remove material, I slowly see the bud vase or sculpture appear. I perceive a multitude of new details. I sense whether or not it is the shape it should take, and I readjust accordingly. My main allies in this work are the rasps, which allow me to achieve harmony in the curves, rounded edges, and straight lines. Gouges, knives, and spoke shaves also help me remove material. Sanding—always by hand—then refines the whole and adds softness. I love the irregularity and the subtleties that my hand brings. I love this feeling of combining my energy, my strength, and my heart to shape these pieces.
A message to convey, or anything else you would like to share?
I would say: Do you feel you are where you belong and doing what you are meant to do? If yes, keep going! If not, then take action to bring about a change.
