Barbara von Oppersdorff
Palitos — driftwood from the Tuscan coast, painted by hand into serpents, dragons and other creatures.
Explore the Catalogue
Palitos — driftwood from the Tuscan coast, painted by hand into serpents, dragons and other creatures.
Explore the Catalogue
Barbara von Oppersdorff gathers driftwood on the beaches of Castiglione della Pescaia, on the Tuscan coast. In the studio she looks for the creature already hidden in each branch: a serpent in a long curve, a dragon in a fork, a dolphin in a short, solid piece.
She paints every palito by hand, with patterns that follow the shape of the wood: rings, scales, zigzags and watchful eyes. Nothing is forced. Bends, knots and side shoots become heads, legs and crowns.
Every palito begins as a branch washed up by the sea, bleached by salt and sun. Barbara collects the wood by hand and keeps its natural shape.
Patterns follow the grain and the curves of each branch. Eyes appear where the wood suggests a head. The result is a family of creatures, each one different.
Origins & Studio
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