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The bowl born from fire: burnt wood from the Serra da Estrela
From a burnt forest in the Serra da Estrela, Luca rescues charred chestnut and cherry wood and turns it into one-of-a-kind bowls for the Vago project.
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By Luís Serra, co-founder of Ra-Ro · View profile
About 3 min read
When people talk about wildfires, the conversation almost always ends up in the same place: area burnt, damage, blame. That makes sense. But it leaves out a more uncomfortable question. What do we do with what's left?
This bowl is one possible answer. It was turned by Luca D'Ortenzi, a self-taught woodcarver from the Serra da Estrela, in the Beira Alta, from wood he himself rescued from the great 2022 fire in the region.
Who is Luca D'Ortenzi?
He's the maker behind the Vago project. Self-taught, he works wood out of a need to experiment and to express himself through nature. That's how he noticed something the flames leave in their path: pieces of burnt wood, halfway between natural decay and artistic restoration.
What wood gave this bowl its body?
Wood from centuries-old trees brought down by the fire, such as a chestnut about 150 years old and a cherry about 100 years old. Trees that watched generations go by and ended up on the ground.
How do you make a bowl from burnt wood?
Luca sharpened his tools and began carving instinctively, with no set end result. Along the way, he invented his own techniques:
- Abrasive techniques, to reveal the shape from the burnt block.
- Artisanal charring, done with care, which deepens the tone of the fire.
- Waxing, which protects the piece and brings out the grain.
At first I thought this was mostly a good story. Burnt wood, second life, it reads well. Then I realised the point was something else. Luca believes that, without a set result, anything can happen. In practice, that's a method. And it's a method that only works with wood nobody wants.
A bowl doesn't solve wildfires. But it shows there's value where most people only see debris. And that, for me, is already quite a lot.
Frequently asked questions
What is this burnt wood bowl?
A handcrafted bowl made from wood salvaged after the 2022 wildfires in the Serra da Estrela. Each piece preserves the visible memory of the fire.
Who makes this piece and where?
Luca D'Ortenzi, a self-taught Italian wood turner and sculptor, in the Beira Alta. It is part of the Vago project.
What wood is it made from?
From a chestnut tree around 150 years old and a cherry tree around 100 years old, destroyed in the 2022 wildfires.
What is the technique?
It combines abrasive techniques, handcrafted charring that deepens the dark tone, and waxing that protects and enhances the grain.
Why is it so rare?
Each example is unique, because no trunk burned in the same way, and the raw material comes from irreplaceable century-old trees.
Dimensions and care?
About 19.5 cm in diameter and 9 cm in height. Keep it away from direct sunlight, humidity and heat; clean with a dry cloth and treat with linseed oil or beeswax.
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