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Sesa: Difference between revisions
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== Biography == | == Biography == | ||
A former philosophy professor and hobbyist woodworker, Sesa first started making pipes in 2000. Soon thereafter, he had the good fortune to meet the Italian ''mastro'' Mauro Gilli, who guided Sesa in his realization of pipe-making as a craft and an art. Sesa’s time spent with Gilli allowed him to hone his technical skills, though Gilli made sure to never try to influence Sesa’s aesthetic decisions. Gilli also learned a great deal about pipe making through online media on the subject. | A former philosophy professor and hobbyist woodworker, Sesa first started making pipes in 2000. Soon thereafter, he had the good fortune to meet the Italian ''mastro'' [[Mauro Gilli]], who guided Sesa in his realization of pipe-making as a craft and an art. Sesa’s time spent with Gilli allowed him to hone his technical skills, though Gilli made sure to never try to influence Sesa’s aesthetic decisions. Gilli also learned a great deal about pipe making through online media on the subject. | ||
Driven by curiosity, Sesa would experiment with various materials over the years. These included materials for his stummels – such as tree heather (briar), olivewood, lemonwood, and bog oak (morta) – and for his stems – such as acrylic, ebonite, and amber. Sesa’s experiments gave him the chance to assess the smoking properties and the aesthetic affordances of the materials he would be working with. During this time, Sesa sought not only to produce pipes that smoked well, but also a distinct, personal style. | Driven by curiosity, Sesa would experiment with various materials over the years. These included materials for his stummels – such as tree heather (briar), olivewood, lemonwood, and bog oak (morta) – and for his stems – such as acrylic, ebonite, and amber. Sesa’s experiments gave him the chance to assess the smoking properties and the aesthetic affordances of the materials he would be working with. During this time, Sesa sought not only to produce pipes that smoked well, but also a distinct, personal style. | ||
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[[File:Sesa brandy comp.png|left|thumb|A Sesa sandblasted bent brandy, made in 2023. Images courtesy Casaro Pipe.]] | [[File:Sesa brandy comp.png|left|thumb|A Sesa sandblasted bent brandy, made in 2023. Images courtesy Casaro Pipe.]] | ||
In the last decade, some aspects of Sesa’s style have changed quite significantly, while others have remained and become more refined. Sesa formerly made approximately 50 pipes per year, in 2017, however, he took up pipe-making full-time, which has allowed him to double his output. Sesa’s classically-inclined pipes now outnumber his freeform pieces, though he still produces the latter regularly, and continues to enjoy doing so. He also continues to produce maritime-themed pipes using bog oak. | In the last decade, some aspects of Sesa’s style have changed quite significantly, while others have remained and become more refined. Sesa formerly made approximately 50 pipes per year, in 2017, however, he took up pipe-making full-time, which has allowed him to double his output. Sesa’s classically-inclined pipes now outnumber his freeform pieces, though he still produces the latter regularly, and continues to enjoy doing so. He also continues to produce maritime-themed pipes using bog oak. | ||
[[File:Sesa fugu.png|thumb|A smooth | [[File:Sesa fugu.png|thumb|A smooth Dora-esque pipe, made by Sesa in 2023. Images courtesy Branko Sesa.]] | ||
While Sesa no longer produces figural pieces in the style of his earlier briar pipes, his production techniques have expanded to include not only smooth and rusticated, but also sandblasted finishes, sometimes in combination with each other. | While Sesa no longer produces figural pieces in the style of his earlier briar pipes, his production techniques have expanded to include not only smooth and rusticated, but also sandblasted finishes, sometimes in combination with each other. | ||
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== Nomenclature and Grading == | == Nomenclature and Grading == | ||
[[File:Sesa high grades.png|alt=|thumb|A four star smooth Dublin | [[File:Sesa high grades.png|alt=|thumb|A four star smooth Dublin freehand, made by Sesa in 2023. Images courtesy Branko Sesa.]] | ||
Sesa’s pipes are stamped with his name and an ascending number of stars indicating their grade. <br clear=all> | Sesa’s pipes are stamped with his name and an ascending number of stars indicating their grade. <br clear=all> | ||