New collection of gorgeous sculpted wood furniture of Julia Krantz, at New York's R20th Century gallery

Happy discovery, today. Just stumbled upon Brazilian furniture designer Julia Krantz, an arquitecture graduate from the University of São Paulo 's Faculty of Arquitecture and Urbanism. She is, in essence, not only a furniture designer per se, but a sculptor. And her raw material is certified eco-friendly wood (she is an associate of the Certified Forestry Products Buyers Group and has a Forest Stewardship Council – FSC seal of certification). She has a commitment to only using materials obtained through sustainable management.

But above all, though I do praise her green efforts, I find the pieces sensually stunning. Especially this one:



Her new collection of limited-edition pieces is on show at the R20th Century gallery in New York, among others. And here's how they describe Julia's work:

"Julia Krantz integrates the past and future of design with elegance and standout virtuosity. Krantz embraces the scale and organic curves of iconic Brazilian designers such as Sergio Rodrigues and Jose Zanine, while evoking the unparalleled master of minutiae, designer Joaquim Tenreiro, in her hand carved detailing. She is part of an emerging generation embracing and redefining the sense of "Brazilianess" that has long shaped their country's art and design.

While she is trained at the University of São Paulo in Architecture and Urbanism, Krantz brings an innate sensitivity to her work, imbuing it with personal narrative and hand working it to a point almost unheard of in contemporary design. To own a piece of Krantz's work is to be truly connected to the designer.

The rich, lush landscape of her native Brazil instills inspiration and responsibility and she is an unwavering advocate for sustainable design. She invests in the future of design by employing only materials sources in a responsible way and she is constantly fine-tuning her process and ways of working to this end. Krantz even goes so far as to diligently re-use her wood scraps, working them into the surface patterns in her carved bowls.

Julia Krantz's passion for the process of design and for the future of object making is an extraordinary addition to the contemporary market."

Not exactly a travel tip, but couldn't resist sharing...