Yannis “Nini” Gazeau
A bit on myself
My name is Yannis Gazeau but I go by the artist’s name “Nini”. I’m a French-Italian wood artist based in France and I use art as a way to express myself.
I grew up with a skilled cabinetmaker dad which gave me a sense of diligence.
On the other side, my mom incited me to be creative and curious about being adventurous.
Being raised around a workshop with the smell of wood and sawdust made me later want to start working this product.
After years of working as a sociology teacher, I started to put my hands on some pine blocks and worked my way every day to create more complex artwork. Starting from using pine pallet scraps to make coasters, I then selected my wood directly from the sawmill to create more sophisticated artwork and furniture.
My philosophy
Wood is a wonderful medium when used with the utmost respect as it is a very demanding work. Every single piece I make is unique and handmade. I create my pieces from start to finish using only my hands and portable tools. I carve, sand, polish and wax everything myself.
I initially started to create some artwork only as a way to express my feelings through a creative hobby. Now I am trying to make this hobby a professional activity and your opinion is all that matters in to making this happen.
I need to thank everyone who were already there, the ones who are not anymore and the ones I met along the way for their support and inspiration. I make art that it is appreciated and supported makes me want to do more. Thank you.
The art
My art is a pure expression of myself. Every piece is thought independently from the other and the results vary depending on the type of wood, the quality and my mood of the day.
My art is a pure translation of my self as I do what I want in that moment. Although, when I work on commission, I also ask for a general direction or specific wishes to understand better the results wanted.
Anytime I can, I try to use scrap wood or anything that does not interest the sawmill anymore. I try to make my art as responsible as possible by using scraps as new art and furniture.
All of my soul and my heart go into each piece of work. I hope you’ll like it.
See you around