Handcrafted Wooden Art & Furnishings
About Josef Otmar
Josef Otmar V was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1956. He first studied under his father's tutelage, and then he received his formal education in woodworking in Denmark His trade experiences range from building guitars to managing manufacturing and retail operations. Realizing his dream to design and build his own products, he founded his business in 1992 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Today his company produces some of the world's finest wooden functional art and furnishings
The Beginning
It all started in 1973, my sophomore year in high school. I was taking an art course for the second year. I decided to do something different for the Scholastic Art Show. Going back to my bench in my father's workshop, I selected a piece of basswood and began to carve. I remember not having any plan at the time as to the subject or composition of the final piece. I let the tools and the creative process flow, and soon the idea of a joyous Christ with arms outstretched formed.
What happened next is not so clear to me now after all these years. I am left with a certain feeling of divine guidance in the project. Soon I was carving the two round spheres that comprise the world and the symbol of brotherhood. The completed work was submitted to the Art awards later that month. When my art instructor Bro. Wanda returned from the judging, and he said to me, " Do you want the good news or the bad news? The good news is that you won an honorable mention. The bad news is that the judges believe you had adult help on this project." This was a shock to me. As an artist, I am always pushing the envelope with my work. It is therefore expected that others might doubt my abilities. I still keep this first piece in my shop; it reminds me not to doubt God's gift - Josef Otmar V
The Otmar History
As the local cabinetmakers on my father side in a small mountain village in the Czech Republic, or on Mum's side, as coach builders and blacksmiths in Wattle Flat, Australia, our roots extend back five generations. The trade is passed from father to son. Coming to America in 1959, the tradition continues today, much as it did in the mid-1800s, with a dedication to detail and superb craftsmanship.
During this renaissance period in our trade, it is precisely our understanding of traditional construction methods and design principles that make us stand out. This allows us to make use of the latest advances in materials and techniques. Keeping with the finest traditions of our craft, we live up to our motto daily that everything we make is "Handcrafted from the Heart". ™