Straw Marquetry, a rare skill

Among the handful of straw marquetry artisans in the world, one of she is French ! Delphine Robins opens the doors of her studio to us on the Isle of Wight…

Since her earliest childhood, Delphine Robins feeds the desire to create with his hands. If the weight of his family forces him to complete his studies, she allows herself to explore a new professional path when her son is born. She begins then by experimenting with upholstery. But this discipline has a taste of unfinished business… It is at the bend of a television report (on which she stumbles upon) that straw marquetry invites itself into her life. The thunderbolt is immediate ! The one who has always been fascinated by Art Deco recognizes in this delicate manual art what she has been looking for ever since. always. Sometimes the signs of destiny give rise to the obvious…

Both passionate and self-taught, Delphine Robins attaches to tame the strands of rye straw. Pasting them one by one and Edge to edge, she works on her dexterity and patience. And the result is always more exhilarating! Exercising on everyday objects such as than frames, boxes or small pedestal tables, she tames little by little this material with its incomparable brilliance. It’s in these natural reflections that Delphine perceives the infinite field of possibilities available to her. If she continues to decorate furniture for designers or to adorn boxes for distilleries of whiskey, she also began to imagine decorative wall panels. Another look at straw marquetry…

Born in the 17th century, straw marquetry reached its peak during the Art Deco period, before falling into disuse. Reinventing this forgotten art in the light of her creativity, Delphine Robins has been able to restore its letters of nobility. Beyond the geometric and graphic patterns characteristic of her art, she reproduces emblematic monuments or stylized landscapes. A singular and unique approach in the world! Relying on his French supplier, the artist plays with the 80 different colors rye straws at his disposal to compose frescoes
amazing. Much more than a canvas frozen in time, its wall panels offer a living spectacle to the eye. At the discretion of light or movement of the viewer, the patterns seem move in a captivating ballet. We might as well admit it bluntly, we are conquered!

 

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