Fogo Islanders know that nature knows best. Trees grow the strongest, sturdiest curves as they emerge from under the ground and reach up into Newfoundland’s unforgiving wilderness. Boat builders use the natural curves of juniper trees to create the structural ribs of their punts: the small wooden fishing boats that were once the traditional workhorses of the inshore fishery.
French-Canadian designer Elaine Fortin was inspired by this intuitive intelligence and using the same method, she created the Punt Chair. Each chair is crafted to last generations of use. It holds the memory of those who use it and carries forward the history of the tree used to make it and a centuries-old knowledge of outport woodworking, ingenuity, and boatbuilding heritage.
Learn more about the Punt Chair: https://vimeo.com/68729770