Sculptural Wooden Smoking Pipe Carving Process

It all starts with the aged roots of a tree called Scutia Buxifolia (Coronilla), that grows in the hills and riversides throughout the countryside. It's commonly found in Southern Brazil, Northern Argentina, and Uruguay. The wood is hard and dense, with a reddish color.

They are collected from the sides of riverbeds or exposed during droughts after years of being submerged by water. This type of wood naturally cures over the years, making it an exceptional material for smoking as it doesn't burn, and it's also extraordinarily beautiful, making it a captivating piece of fine art.

Once the raw woods are collected, the artist selects the best parts and begins carving, respecting the natural lines of the material and highlighting the best characteristics of the root. The entire process is done manually, with meticulous craftsmanship aimed at discovering and showcasing the inherent beauty imprinted by nature in each piece, revealing it to the world through the artist's sensibility.

The entire carving process can take weeks, if not months. The artist is not a designer but a conduit for nature to express and potentiate the beauty of a piece that was once underground or underwater. The artist's labor is to identify and exalt the expression of nature in each piece of wood.

The piece finally starts to gain shape, and the artist begins working on the fine details with meticulous care. Every curve, texture, and nuance is refined to enhance the inherent beauty of the wood. This delicate stage requires precision and patience as the artist brings out the subtle intricacies that nature has embedded within the material.

After hours of profound connection with the wood, and meticulous sanding and polishing with natural bee waxes, the pieces gleam with a splendid shine. Each Ferrizzo pipe is unique, representing the spirit of the wood and the imprint that nature has left on the piece.