Beyond the Grain: Leonardo Cappellini, the Italian Artisan Giving New Life to Reclaimed Wood

One of our favorite things about working with Italian artisans and craftsmen is learning about their connections to their craft. Each Italian craftsman pulls you into their world, with their exceptional vision, and their roots in the history of their craft and the way it connects them to nature, or to their ancestors. 

When we first saw Leonardo’s work a few years ago we really liked it, we felt the difference between what he does and other wood sculptors in the small details and atypical style he is known for. There was a reverence for his craft. Each piece seemed like an extension of him, not just a vase or sculpture. 

We liked his work so much we visited him at his workshop in the gorgeous hills outside of Florence. The journey up the rocky driveway to his workshop brought us deeper into nature, and into the lair of creativity where Leonardo works and thrives. His workshop and home sit under the shadow of a grey stone turret and a spectacular stone arch carved with the name of the Palazzo that once stood grandly on the property. Now surrounded by woods it serves as the fuel for Leonardo’s passion. It is here in his workshop, which seems to be an extension of the history of the property, that Leonardo creates his exceptional wood sculptures and wood vases. 

As you read our interview with the Italian artisan Leonardo Cappellini we think you too will be entranced by his words, his emotions and his deep respect for his craft, and the material that he was born to recover and give new life. 

1. How did you start wood carving?

I started a bit by chance, attracted by wood as a living material. I wanted to understand it, feel it under my hands, and see how it could be transformed. Then it became a real quest: no longer just a technique, but a continuous dialogue with nature.

2. Can you tell us about the process? How do you find the wood, prepare it, and decide on the design?

The wood almost always comes from trees that have been cut down because they were diseased or dangerous, or it is donated to me by people who don't want to forget their trees. I prepare it on the lathe, but very often it is the wood itself that decides the shape: cracks, knots, and voids guide the design. I don't impose, I accompany.

3. Sustainability is an important part of your work as an Italian Artisan. Is that why you chose to open your workshop in the hills outside of Florence?

Yes, the workshop is surrounded by greenery, close to Florence but away from the chaos. It is a place that allows me to be in tune with nature and the material I work with. For me, sustainability means respecting time and using what already exists, without exploiting more than necessary.

4. Are you from Florence? 

Yes, I'm from Florence and my workshop is in Molin del Piano, Pontassieve, just outside the city.

5. What is your favorite part of the wood carving process?

The moment when the shape begins to reveal itself on the lathe. It's like an encounter: the wood shows you who it is and you follow it. Every time is different, and that's the magic.

6. When I came to visit you, you told me that you don't waste anything. Can you tell us what you do with the leftover wood shavings and why sustainability and zero waste are so important to you?

The shavings become mulch for the vegetable garden or bedding for the animals. I don't throw anything away because wood is life: every scrap can be used, and this respect is part of my work.

7. What is your favorite wood to work with and why? 

It's hard to say. Perhaps fig wood, for its unpredictable deformations; oak, for its strength and the memory it carries within it; or olive wood, so complex and unique in its patterns. Each wood has a different personality, which makes it impossible to choose just one.

8. We know that olive wood is extremely rare in sculpture. Can you explain why?

Olive trees do not grow straight: they twist, they split, they have a thousand internal defects. It is difficult to find pieces that are large and healthy enough to work with. This is precisely why it is rare and precious in sculpture.

9. What is your favorite food?

I am a foodie, I really like everything. Ever since I was a child, I have been crazy about potatoes... I think it is one of the foods I love most because you can cook it in a thousand different ways. But, to tell the truth, I can't identify a favorite food: every dish has its moment and its reason.

10. What is the place you think everyone should see in Florence?

I would definitely say San Miniato al Monte, one of the most evocative places in the city, with an incredible view of Florence and a unique atmosphere. But I would also add the Convent of San Francesco in Fiesole: less known to tourists, but just as special. It is a place that conveys peace, with a panorama that makes you feel truly immersed in history and Tuscan nature.

11. If someone could only see one place in Italy, what would you recommend?

Perhaps the Val d'Orcia. Hills, cypress trees, ancient villages: a landscape that looks like a painting and truly captures the soul of Italy.

Feeling inspired by Leonardo? Discover his beautiful wood sculptures and wood vases on our site.