Florian Bournoud
My name is Florian Bournoud. I was born in 1977 and grew up in a little mountain village in Switzerland together with my sister and two brothers. I had the good fortune of spending my childhood at Corbeyrier in the Chablais region of the canton of Vaud, for there I could build cabins in the woods, make carts without brakes that went tumbling down the hills, and play in mountain streams. In summary, our trousers were often dirty and torn at the knees, but we were happy. Around the age of eleven I went down to a town for secondary school and later went farther away for upper school. I had a passion for building things with wood and for mechanics. After an inconclusive attempt at cabinet making and its endless hours of sanding, I launched into automobile mechanics. It was interesting and I learned a great quantity of things that are still useful today, but I found it lacked creativity and humanity. So, after a little detour in the Arts faculty of the University of Lausanne, there I was for seven years on the sunny mountain slopes above Leysin working as a technician on the ski lifts. Although I spent a lot of time partying in those years, I managed to complete vocational training as a mid-mountain guide by 2006. After spending a few years renovating my chalet, I realized my passion for woodwork was still very much alive. I therefore began a carpenter’s apprenticeship, which I enthusiastically completed in in 2010. I stayed with the company I had trained with until the desire to build in new ways became so strong that I struck out as an independent CARPENTER in 2015. With support from my wife, Annick, I set up my own business and called it “Elementerre Charpente”.* I thank the Universe for allowing me every day to make a living from my passion and live according to my principles.
I am not altogether an Artist, just humbly an ARTisan.
*translator’s note: This is a play on words between ‘elementary carpentry’ and ‘element earth carpentry’.
Artistic approach
“One thing is sure; I’ll never be a doctor or an artist.” Those were the only truths concerning a future career that I was clear about as a child.
In my mid-thirties, however, I finally opened up to the fact that the old patterns of values instilled by society around me were suffocating me. I needed to find meaning in what I did and in who I was. Childhood memories came back and I realized what a great capacity I have for building, creating, collaborating, marveling at the beauties of nature, and appreciating each present moment.
Since then, I have endeavoured ceaselessly to develop building that is more and more respectful of the environment, in accordance with human nature, and vibrating on harmonious frequencies. My dream would be to build a cathedral; meanwhile, every dwelling, every house, and every garden shed I build is considered as a temple serving to raise consciousness towards awakening and towards the end of materialistic suffering. When the customer is open-minded, I encourage him or her to engage the services of a geobiologist before the work begins and I include in the building such factors as: the energy dimension of the place and the materials, the phases of the moon, the direction of the boards, and other factors I sense. It is thanks to Sacred Geometry, to sound materials, to bonds established with owners, and especially thanks to the LIFE FORCE that has been given me, that I have the great good fortune to be able to use my Gifts in service of PEACE and Harmony, as well as to create space where Life and Beings can grow, expand, experiment, and simply be happy.
This is a summary of the thoughts and intentions I hold as I draft and carve a frame, renovate a home, or give advice to owners.
I am not altogether an Artist, just humbly an ARTisan.