Carola Winnie
Designer
At Villa Swagatam, I look forward to my residency at Manufactures Nationales and Sevres Manufacture being that of a deep exploration into the landscape of the French decorative arts and crafts, one that has been preserved over three hundred years and has created a deep sense of pride and history for its country. I seek to get deeper insight on their legacy, values and nuances that have helped to preserve various crafts over such a vast timeline and seek to integrate them into my practice.
Carola Winnie is a designer and the co-founder of Madras Makers, a company of fine wood workers and crafts persons specializing in hardwood furniture. A degree in architecture has shaped her insight in spatial experiences which encapsulate furniture, architectural millwork, lighting, kitchens and wardrobes. At Madras Makers, she has found her material of expression mainly through teak wood and continues to expand this understanding into other materials like Wenge, Mahogany, Stone, Brass, Steel and Mother of Pearl. She impresses upon the importance of creating objects that have strong narratives, longevity, and a wholeness of craft thereby allowing a deep relationship to form between the animate and inanimate- human and object- connoisseur and craftsman. She is currently exploring the art of fragrance after a summer school at Grasse in 2024 and enjoys playing the piano during leisure hours.
