Alfonso Moya

Woodcarver

©Alfonso Moya

The joy of carving

Alfonso carves amazing silhouettes in wood
His work is inspired by nature and emotions
For him, his work is liberating and healing

Alfonso Moya did his elementary and high school education in Santiago. He always wanted to study art, but he did not have the support of his family, so he started studying electronics. He never finished because he was always spending time at cultural centres and involved in the world of art and crafts. "When I was a child I always looked at the furniture workshops that were close to where I lived, I would ask for scraps of wood and when I got home I would experiment with knives and chisels. It was my way of playing. That is how I learned my craft, by playing," says Alfonso. At the age of ten he had made his first piece: a wooden spoon that he was asked to make as homework for school. "I chose this craft because I love it. It lets me be free and express myself, say what I believe and see. It is my way of writing," he adds. He currently lives in the Araucanía region of Chile where he is surrounded by forests, traditions and culture, all closely linked to wood.

Interview

©Alfonso Moya

©Alfonso Moya

Is there anything that is little known about your work?: Little is known about how long each piece can take, and not only in making it, but also in creating drawings, writings, or conversations, a thousand things that happen before a work is born. I would add that the process of wood harvesting is closely related to the moon and the seasons of the year.
What does well made mean to you?: Something well made is something that ends up being fine, and clean, something that leaves eyes sparkling and butterflies in the stomach. I usually hand carve with an azula gouge and chisel. I specialise in organic silhouettes.
How would you define what you do?: For me, this is a language, a way of expressing myself. The traditional is in the technique, the innovation is in the forms, and each work has its own history.
What would you say to young artisans who are just starting out?: I would tell them to persevere in their dreams and to look inside themselves. I would tell them not to try to copy, because that way they will only copy other people's dreams, without fulfilling their own.

Alfonso Moya is a master artisan: he began his career in 1998 and he started teaching in 2003