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About us
I am Kobe Dewaele, director of artfossil, born in 1975 in the heart of West Flanders. Grew up in and around the Pia Manu family business, founded by my grandfather Jules Dewaele, continued by my parents Koen and Katelijn and now by my brother Sibbe. Even as a child I was fascinated by everything that was on display in our showroom. I loved the pieces, the simplicity, the beauty, the splendor of colors, the evolution, the artistry of nature.
Dreaming about a history that we find difficult to imagine today.
All this time I have remained passionate, as an enthusiast, as a collector.
Step by step, the fossils and minerals started to take on a life of their own and we chose to set up a separate branch and specialize even more. In addition to the beautiful decorative pieces that you can admire at Pia Manu, an exhibition space has been added in Izegem.
The world of fossils and minerals is not only wonderful, it is also very diverse. To really make a difference, I have further specialized in petrified wood from Arizona as a decorative element. As a wall piece - a painting made by 225 million years of natural processes, as a table - which is not afraid of damage due to its hardness comparable to granite or as a decorative element - for example as a showpiece on the cupboard. This way I can offer an exceptional selection of sublime representatives of petrified wood.
These unique, rare showpieces are pure, grounding and, through their story, put us with both feet on the ground and then give us wings.
The earth is not ours, but we have been loaned it. That is why I only work with reputable and specialized companies that work with the material with respect for regulations, the material and nature. In this way I also ensure the finest quality of finish for this exceptional work of nature.
FAQ
We work primarily with wood from Arizona, US. The most extraordinary and exuberant colors. We also have wood from Madagascar and from Indonesia.
Petrified wood from Arizona and Madagascar is about 225 mln years old. Petrified wood from Indonesia is about 20 mln years old.
You have the pieces in different sizes. We focus on decorative pieces that can stand on their own. We offer pieces ranging from 30 by 30 cm to 2 meters long. The similar weight of petrified wood is similar to granite, so it does put some weight on it but not to worry, all pieces are delivered to the provided place. We deliver in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Considering the pieces are a result of nature and time, each piece is again unique. They are actually sophisticated pieces of art where the artist has been given millions of years to bring the piece to perfection.
We engage with the enthusiast about the application, we see petrified wood as a decorative object, as a tea or coffee table, as a wall piece.
Most of the petrified wood we work with can be maintained in the same way as granite. However, some pieces are somewhat porous and therefore cannot be used as tables. We always give advice on this.
For answers, please refer to thepetrified wood page. Should you not find the answer there you can visit Wikipedia here. More information can be found on the version in English.
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