Klaus Rohe, who works in final assembly of special structures at Brüggen, creates sculptures in his free time.
W
ood – ideally oak. That is Klaus Rohe’s material of choice. He works on it with a woodcarving knife or chainsaw, sometimes creating small works of art, and sometimes creating big sculptures, which decorate gardens throughout Emsland. Rohe works in final assembly of special structures at Brüggen Oberflächen- und Systemlieferant GmbH in Herzlake. There he puts the final touches to fixed lorry bodies. It was almost 20 years ago that he discovered a personal passion for carving.
KLAUS ROHE AGE: 52 HOBBY: SCULPTURE SINCE: 2002
Today, Klaus Rohe’s sculptures are on show in his own gallery, housed in a barn in Holte-Lastrup. Adjacent to the barn is his workshop, in which he works with different materials: soapstone, epoxy resin, bronze – but always in combination with wood. “The material just fascinates me,” explains the 52-year-old. He says that he came to the art form due to a desire to express his creativity. Kraus Rohe is a trained furniture maker; he also learned carving during his training. Around the millennium he discovered how much he enjoyed working with figures. He created lots of small sculptures from wood and soapstone, and soon dared to try and exhibition – which was very successful. Today Rohe sells pieces to customers that want to brighten up their homes and gardens. But it remains a hobby for him – in which he often works with personal themes. “I draw inspiration for my work from nature, as well as from situations that I have experienced, such as ‘letting loose’ or ‘fighting’,” he explains.
HOBBIES TEACH PERSEVERANCE
The larger items are created with a special chainsaw. Klaus Rohe likes the fact that this tool allows him to work through the wood especially quickly. “I’m an impatient person,” he says. But doing this form of art has taught him perseverance. “I know that you have to stick at it, even if it doesn’t all go right straight away.” This is something that he carries into his job – alongside a feel for three-dimensional work, which is a prominent feature of carving: “You always have to think deeply with carving.”
