Klassen creates his artwork with the same dedication and affection he dedicates to his growing family. Every year he inspects thousands of salvaged wood slabs sustainably sourced from small independent sawyers of which only a very small fraction makes the cut. He then spends anywhere from several days to several weeks hand-crafting the wood into a unique sculptural piece that retains the charm and character of the natural material. In his own words, his aim is to “coax out the beauty that I find in the material”.  And indeed, the wood’s organic growth rings and idiosyncratic imperfections perfectly represent the natural formations of the landscape.

As he works on the piece the shape of the river or lake evolves and the final design is always in harmony with the organic features of the slab. Finally, tinted glass is cut by hand to fit the wood’s sinuous cut-outs, a procedure that requires a great amount of skill and patience. It’s a very demanding and painstaking process but it’s worth it both for the aesthetic result and the sense of accomplishment. As Klassen says, “I love the idea of taking a discarded tree and giving it new life”.

The River Collection pieces, which range from dining, coffee and side tables to desks and wall-hang artworks, look as sumptuous as they sound: Walnut Pond Desk, Maple and Black Walnut River Coffee Table, Chocolately Claro Dinner Table, and Big Leaf Maple River Console, to name a few. These pieces will soon be complemented by Archipelago, a new island shaped series that Klassen is working on with presumably the same originality, pathos and artistry he is known for.