Check Out These Outdoor Furnishings That Resemble Crumpled Paper
Furniture maker Zachary A. Bitner discovered his passion about 10 years ago when he got tired of lifting weighty pieces. “I was making and delivering these heavy concrete statues,” he says. “I knew I could figure out a way to make something equally beautiful but light.” He experimented and started casting outdoor furniture made from a concrete-and-composite blend. With that new product came a new company, Zachary A., and now he’s added a new line called Studio A. to the mix.
Tell us about Studio A. It’s the same company, but Studio A. is more experimental. It’s where we get extremely creative. These pieces are more collectible; we see them as gallery level. They’re exterior-grade functional art, which gives us an incredible opportunity to make pieces that are fun and have a bit of humor.
Can you give us an example of what Studio A. produces? We’re working with paper and it’s a totally new process. We start with a large-format drawing done in graphite. Then we crumple the paper into a mold shaped roughly like the final product. We layer in fiberglass and resin, then crack away the paper, but the graphite stays embedded in the piece. You can feel the crinkle of the paper when it’s done.
What’s next? We like to go up to our farm on weekends and experiment. We’re feeling like something very sparkly might be on the horizon!