Craftworkers : Inlaid-August-2014

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Craftworkers : Inlaid 1 August 2014

Mickaël, marquetery inlayer, explains his work:

" I am 40 years, including 20 years of service at Ateliers Allot. I started at workbench for a year, then I was trained by one of the « Meilleur Ouvrier de France » (best carftworkers in France) for several years.
I create decorations of figurative motifs, allegories, bucolic scenes, trophies from thin sheets of wood. I cut natural or tinted veneer and assembles the parts with hot glue before to press it.

The decorative effect is obtained by the quality of design and choice of woods that bring the diversity of color shades. Elm, olive, wood of America, wood of Africa ... but it's rose and violet wood that I use most frequently. I work with over 50 wood species in total, to complete my several frescoes.

For my last work, it tooks me almost three weeks of work. It is a sideboard frame which required the use of a dozen of colors. I work with a scroll saw, but a one-tenth of inch cutting off and everything is ruined. After that, there are also the effects of style: by placing the cut parts in hot sand, I get darker some parts and it creates a shadow effect. This gives volume to the piece.

This is a high-precision work that fascinates me. I am happy to work for the « Ateliers Allot » because it is still one of the few companies that make it possible to do such great quality works. "

Mickaël