Olivier Thomine

Straw marquetery – Spiral made of layered, overlapped, and sanded straw.

Olivier Thomine is as much an artist than he is a craftsman. With straw marquetry, he gives geometry a poetic aspect, and enlightens solid colors by creating colorful curves with his own hands. 

Straw is an organic material that he reinvents by sanding and layering it. Unlike traditional straw marquetry, Olivier chose to use material waste to create distinct and unique textures. He turns flaws into qualities. His designs’ rounded shapes oppose the prevailing straight lines.

In his Pantin-based workshop, in the Paris region, he crafts mural panels, artworks or furnishings. For Majuno, he devised a pine green circular tray made of natural straw.

Why did you choose to craft straw marquetry ?

After obtaining a cabinetmaking Certificate of Professional Competence and later, another one in wood marquetry, I crafted wooden ship furniture for a few years.

Then, I discovered straw, which was not used in marquetry yet. After working with Lison de Caunes –who was a straw marquetry pioneer– for three years, I decided it was time to stand on my own two feet.

How did you approach Majuno’s project?

Unusually for me, I wanted to experiment with soberer shades, which is why I used pine green and natural straw, very close to nature. 

However, I used the same technique; I like to use flaws to capture people’s attention, to make them curious about the material in front of them. Moreover, I worked with my usual straw. It is supplied from a Tournus-located farmer who grows and tints it solely for marquetry.