François Gilles, an experienced sculptor and ornamentalist, leads the wood ornamentation training. As a recipient of the Best Apprentice in France award, a graduate of the École Boulle, and a Ph.D. in art history, he works on both historical and contemporary construction sites.
By the end of the training, the participant will have assimilated:
Dive into the captivating world of ornamentation during this week-long training, especially designed for enthusiasts of creation and elegance.
Under the enlightened guidance of François Gilles, a recognized sculptor and ornamentalist, this unique experience will unveil the secrets of wood ornamentation.
Throughout this immersive week, participants will be guided through practical techniques and essential processes of this artisanal craft.
They will have the opportunity to create their own wooden ornaments, exploring patterns, shapes, and details that enrich the world of ornamentation.
Working closely with François Gilles, the trainees will learn to translate their creativity into tangible pieces of ornamentation.
François GILLES is a wood sculptor and art historian. A graduate of the Boulle school, best apprentice in France in sculpture, former Normalien student (ENS Cachan), associate professor in arts and doctoral student in art history, he is a design teacher at the Olivier de Serres school ( Paris 15th) and works for contemporary decoration and heritage in his workshop located in Yonne. His historical research focuses on the great sculpted decorations of the Ancien Régime and tries to draw the portrait of the actors who created these decorations in the 17th and 18th centuries, but also of those who destroyed, saved, or collected them in the 19th and 20th. centuries. As a result of this versatility, he regularly works with museum institutions, and in particular for the Palace of Versailles, where he restored, with his colleague Charles Boulnois, the decor of the Dauphin's grand cabinet (1747).