For the latest instalment of Design Life we caught up with artist and designer Anthony Roussel. Founder of surface design brand Atelier Anthony Roussel, the artist incorporates his signature wood-layering techniques to create intricate surfaces for high-end interiors.
We are pleased to welcome Anthony’s designs as samples to the studio, after being seduced by the clean lines and use of pattern and repeated form – inspired by Roussel’s roots in jewellery design.
The making process for each design consists of taking wood and meticulously bonding layers of birch, maple, ash, oak, sycamore and walnut to create stunning results.
"French pressed coffee. Smells great, sets the tone and gives me special design powers. A black Pilot G-Tec-C4 pen. It's an inexpensive piece of kit but I'm very attached to it. It suits my sketching style. I always have one on me. "My iPhone. I take shots of colourful, layered paper to see how the light reacts at different heights. It really helps me gauge what is possible with shadow. The results are then applied to my actual surface designs.
"I started an Instagram account just for paper. It acts as my sketchbook. It's actually turned into a serious project with a growing following. There are some amazing mobile photographers pushing what's possible with just a camera phone. I use the VSCO Cam app to edit my photography and then transfer it to Instagram."
"Wood. I have specialised in working with this material since 2006. I just love the idea of applying contemporary processes to such a natural product. It has a lot of character. Rich with a past life, that's the way I see it."
"That's hard to say at this stage of my career. In the recent past I have designed jewellery, furniture and lighting. The real passion for me is surface design. I have been working towards setting this brand up for a good while, so I'm proud it's finally here. Atelier Anthony Roussel was launched during The London Design Festival 2014. We have been in touch with some key interior designers, and it will be a proud achievement when we complete our first serious commission. We have been put forwards for a cigar room project and a whisky tasting room commission. This early interest suggests we are on the right track."
"London 2012 Olympic Games without a doubt! I wasn't set up to attract any key attention back then. I hope something big like that returns to the UK."
"I am really excited to have work on show at Material Lab. That was a major initial objective. Our surfaces are also on show at the SCIN Gallery. From this exposure I am hoping solid opportunities will present themselves. Next on the agenda is to keep refining our surfaces and deliver a new collection for early 2015."
To see more from Atelier Anthony Roussel, visit the website and follow on Instagram.
