Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Tyler Brand, I’m 33 years old, from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
<Introduction to Gallery Elder>
Gallery Elder is a gallery and showroom located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada specializing in 17th – 19th century niche antiques, with an interest in design.
Which country are you currently residing in?
What do you like most about living there? I live in Canada. There is a lot of good and a lot of bad about where I live. There is still a lot of untouched natural beauty in this country, for the time being at least.
Why do you prefer antique furniture?
There is a depth of character and life unachievable in contemporarily created craft. Seeing hand hewn slabs of wood and envisioning the maker, and how the piece was created, pre lighting, before industrialization is a magnetic attribute that can’t be ignored.
What is the most memorable piece of furniture you have worked on, and why?
I was lucky enough to bring in an English work table, made in about 1580. It had carving circling the skirt of the table, but very untypical of English carvings. These were naively carved depictions of the sun as well as geometric patterns. The boards were all at least 2” thick, incredibly heavy. The naivety of the carvings was the pure joy of the table though.
What criteria and process do you follow when selecting and collecting vintage furniture?
Before everything else, if I am not immediately drawn to the piece I’m bringing in, it’s not for the shop. Everything has to illicit some sort of visceral reaction, whether it be a 5000 year old piece of pottery or an armoire from the 1800’s.
Among the vintage furniture you have sold recently, which item do you like the most and why?
A table made in the Spanish Pyrenees mountains in the 17th century. The top is warped, carving is very naive, the legs formed very simply, with pegged construction throughout.
Similar to the table spoken about above, the simplicity and inventiveness shown by non-traditional makers of furniture is incredible, likely just made by the user, solely made because they needed it. It’s a wonderful sentiment.
<Thoughts on Collaboration>
I love the idea of building something together. I previously worked with a tattoo artist named Nicolas Sanchez to design a printed fabric for Gallery Elder that has been used on upholstery as well as cushions. I am looking to do more collaborative work with some local craftspeople, designing reimagined relic styles of furniture for contemporary setting.
What is the most important element when you are working?
Mindset and atmosphere.
Is there a message you want to convey through your content or work?
Imperfection creates beauty, creates life in art.
