von Tessa Mellinger
28 August 2018
SUMMER
Craft Festival: Old Craft Revived
The Craft Festival has become an indispensable part of our event calendar. A day where the old traditions are lived and celebrated. Values that have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. We have already met with two 'masters of their craft' in advance to get a little insight into what awaits us that weekend. And let it be said: It will be impressive!
Carved from hard wood: Sculptor Karl-Josef Röck
He can create true masterpieces from an inconspicuous piece of wood: Karl-Josef Röck is a sculptor. I met with him in his quaint shop in the downtown area of Seefeld. Here he works and sells his art on-site. As soon as I enter the shop, I smell the wonderful scent of wood. Not only my nose but also my eyes are immediately busy: I see hundreds of small and large artworks. Karl-Josef is already at work: For the art crafts festival, he has created a sculpture that he will complete in front of the visitors during the festival. What exactly it is, we'll reveal later – just this much: It is impressive! A beautiful sculpture made from his favorite wood: the Swiss pine. It grows in the Alps at an altitude of 1800m. Karl-Josef loves it: "When you cut it, its fragrance fills the whole room," he raves. The wood of the Swiss pine is extremely resinous, but also very durable.
From Carving to Sculpting: The Love for Wood
At just 15 years old, Karl-Josef started carving. However, he initially chose to learn masonry and carpentry. Later, he pursued his dream professionally by successfully completing his training as a sculptor. "This is my dream job – what I love to do!" he says. Sculpting is more than a profession – it is a passion.
From Idea to Sculpture: The Working Process
"How does such a work of art come into being?" I ask Karl-Josef while looking at the huge sculpture next to us. "First, I draw a lot," he explains to me. "And I also throw away a lot of things again," he adds laughing. So the idea starts from the head onto the paper. And from the paper then into the wood. He gets his inspiration mainly from nature - and from God. You can also see this in his art: nativity figures, Marian figures, crosses, and all kinds of animals are among the works he creates. Karl-Josef shows with his art that millennia-old craftsmanship is still modern and fascinating today. He lives his passion - you can feel and see it in his shop. Not only at the arts and crafts festival, but also during a stroll through the town center of Seefeld, you should definitely pay him a visit!
Playing with Fire: Designer Blacksmith Martin Albrecht
My next visit takes me to the blacksmith workshop of Martin Albrecht. He has a passion for the hot elements: fire and iron. I can feel the heat right away: as soon as I step into the workshop, the hot oven makes me sweat. It’s not only hot, it can also get loud – a job for real men! That Martin's art is something entirely unique and special is evident in his design workshop: Many works hang on the walls that leave me in awe.
Lived Passion
The naturally born Leutascher started his apprenticeship as a blacksmith at the young age of 15. Since then, he has developed his own style and found his own approach to this craft. In the truest sense of the word, he is "fire and flame" for his profession! Perhaps the greatest compliment came from an old blacksmith who once said to Martin: "Thank you for modernizing our craft!" This probably sums it up well: old tradition, lived modernly.
Fire, power and precision: The work process
Until a work is completed, Martin holds it in his hands many times. The iron lies in the hot embers up to three times. Temperatures of up to 1100 degrees prevail in the furnace. After that, it is worked on with various tools. For example, there is the spring hammer, which dates back to 1926 – an almost fearsome device. With a "bear weight" of a remarkable 80 kilos, it strikes the iron. I prefer to keep my distance... Even when Martin demonstrates the plasma cutter to me, I keep a safety distance: Sparks fly in all directions! It looks beautiful, and I am fascinated by how detailed and precisely he can cut with it.
There are no limits to Martin's art: From delicate skiers to giant 3D eagles, he creates everything! The Tyrolean eagle is his favorite motif because it also expresses his love for his homeland.
By the way, his works are known far beyond Tyrol: Andreas Gabalier received a leather pair of pants made of iron, and the Tyrolean eagle hangs above the fireplace of skier Lindsey Vonn's parents in America. It seems Martin will never run out of ideas: With so much creativity, he hardly has time to make them all a reality. I also "caught fire" for the art of blacksmithing after visiting Martin Albrecht's design forge!
The Craft Festival in Seefeld: Colorful Traditions and Impressive Craftsmanship
Every year, the Craft Festival takes place in Seefeld. Not only Karl-Josef Röck and Martin Albrecht will be represented. Many more talented and captivating craftsmen await the visitors: mask carvers, fabric printers, felt makers, glassblowers, saddlers, larch oil burners, engravers, gold embroiderers, and many more!
Culinary delights are created by the bakers in the wood-fired oven, and there are also specialties from grandmother's kitchen. The folk and brass musicians provide the appropriate music.
Tip: On Saturday, you should not miss the Historic Tractor Parade: The oldest tractor dates back to 1939! On Sunday, the Great Traditional Costume Parade is the absolute highlight: Hundreds of costumes from the entire Alpine region can be admired.
The Arts and Crafts Fair is an inspiring event that showcases and celebrates centuries-old traditions. This way, they are preserved and passed down to younger generations. Values and customs that are lived in the Olympiaregion Seefeld!
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