• David Tragen

DAVID TRAGEN

It all started one rainy day in 1995, after two months of being in Barcelona. A friend and I were seeking shelter from what felt like a monsoon and dived into Zeta Futon in the Gothic Quarter for cover. The shop was filled with an exquisite collection of contemporary furniture and lighting, crafted by local artisans in an array of materials, textures and forms.  It was a ‘light bulb moment’; feeling like a child in a sweet shop, I wanted to be able to recreate that same excitement, designing and making my own furniture.

After having left Sheffield Hallam University in 1994 with a degree in International Business, I spent a year working in Italy before moving to Barcelona to teach English. Seeking a new career direction that I could be passionate about, I  had come to the city hoping to be inspired by its air of creativity. Having found such inspiration so early on, the next six years were spent passionately pursuing the goal of being a top furniture designer-maker.

During the early years, my spare time was spent upcycling discarded pieces of furniture and making lamps in my tiny 2×2 metre home workshop. My self-taught woodworking skills were supplemented by specialised courses in marquetry and wood carving before deciding to study Art and Design.

Over the next few years I completed various projects for bars and restaurants as well as private clients in both Barcelona and Ibiza. However, I felt that in order to be able to translate my creative vision of working with flowing curves in wood,  I would need to train further.

I returned to Britain in 2002 and with excellence being my objective, I trained with David Savage for a year in one of the best workshops in Britain. On completing the course I was selected by world-class Silver Lining Workshops to work as a cabinet-maker and after gaining a further year´s experience, decided to set up my own company in Manchester. Since 2018 my work has diversified, with a greater focus on sculptural objects and in particular the use of cold casting as a technique to realise those forms.

What really excites me about my work is turning the intangible into finished pieces, whether furniture, wall art, sculpture or decorative lighting. I love the whole process; from dreaming up the initial ideas to engrossing myself in the meditative making process and of course delivering the finished piece to a satisfied client.

 


  • Lancshire For Life click on image to download the PDF
  • Furniture And Cabinetmaking Furniture and cabinetmaking

PUBLISHED WORK

My work has appeared in the following publications:

Cheshire Life Oct. ’23
The Cheshire Magazine May ‘14, Oct. ’17, Nov. ’18, Aug ‘21
Yorkshire Post Aug, ’21
BOB Magazine Sept. ’19
Dentro Casa Magazine May ‘19
Living Edge Magazine May ‘15, Aug ‘19
Furniture and Cabinet making Aug. ’13
Manchester Evening News Oct. ’09, May ’13
Lancashire Life May ’13
“500 Cabinets” Published 2010
Woodworker’s Technique Bible Published July 2009
Idfx Magazine Aug. ’08
Concept For Living Sept. ’07, Oct. ’07, Sept. ’08
“Bespoke – Source book of furniture designer makers” Published August 2007
“Furniture Today” Published 2006