Christian Simeoni
Christian discovered his love for woodworking as a child in his father's woodcarving workshop. There, he not only learned the basics of the craft but also developed a deep connection to this ancient profession. This passion led him to the School of Wood Sculpture and later to the profession of model making, where he further refined his skills.
His deep connection to nature brought Christian to wilderness pedagogy, where he expanded his fascination with traditional craft techniques and specialized in traditional bow making.
For many years, Christian has been offering workshops and seminars in which he shares his knowledge and enthusiasm for the art of bow making. His courses are characterized by an authentic and profound appreciation for traditional craftsmanship, offering participants the opportunity to experience and learn this ancient art in its purest form.
Workshops with Christian Simeoni
Alain Mailland
He studied at the Cergy-Pontoise School of Decorative Art near Paris. After participating in a woodturning course, he began to manufacture thin-walled vessels and lamp shades made of green wood. Objects that are reminiscent of botanical plants or marine organisms became his trademark. His works have been exhibited in galleries in Europe, the USA and Australia.
Workshops with Alain Mailland
Annekathrine Schmidt
Having obtained her apprenticeship diploma in cabinetmaking from the Technical University of Hanover, Germany Anne-Katrine went on to study design at Hanover University of Applied Sciences. After completing her vocational diploma, she trained as a restorer at the Instituto per L`Arte E ll Restauro in Florence, Italy and has been working as a freelance restorer in Hanover since 1989.
Workshops with Annekathrine Schmidt
Arno Buck
Arno sets himself the highest standards in all his craft work, and that includes his hobbies of leatherworking and knife making. It was while stitching knife sheaths that he discovered his passion for leatherworking, which has had a hold on him ever since. His projects, often combined with wickerwork, are characterised by clear, modern designs, often using unusual materials.
Workshops with Arno Buck
Christopher Schwarz
Already at the age of 8, he built his first own work bench. When he was a teenager, he constructed two buildings on their farm in Hackett/Arkansas together with his father only by using hand tools. The qualified journalist has preserved his passion for hand tools until today and is happy to be able to combine his hobby and profession through his job as a distinguished woodworker and author of the magazine Popular Woodworking.
Workshops with Christopher Schwarz
Ernst Maier
As an independent master joiner, Ernst Maier runs a small, creative one-man workshop in Upper Austria. For more than 10 years he has focused on building natural wood furniture that reflects the forms of nature. Above all, his works are characterised by the combination of natural wood and classic solid wood techniques.
Workshops with Ernst Maier
Ernst Schoiswohl
As we all know, the best scythes are manufactured in Austria. In the town of Rossleithen in the Upper Austrian Kremstal valley the company Schröckenfux, which has a long tradition, has manufactured tailor-made scythes for 450 years. Who else could teach our participants better how to sharpen and grind scythes and sickles than the qualified foreman Ernst Schoiswohl, who has been working in the worlds most famous scythe smithy for more than 30 years?
Workshops with Ernst Schoiswohl
Franz Roth
The experienced industrial mechanic completed further training and passed the master certification exam to become an interior designer. He also completed a degree as a restorer for the craft of interior design at Schloss Raesfeld. Since 2014, he has been successfully running his own restoration workshop with upholsterers. He is a member of the master craftsman's examination board for the HWK Niederbayern/Oberpfalz.
Workshops with Franz Roth
Garrett Hack
The internationally known cabinetmaker with his penchant for beautiful details has written two books (The Handplane Book and Classic Hand Tools), he teaches many different woodworking topics in the US, in Canada, the UK, and Japan, and he runs a small farm in Vermont/USA. His furniture projects have been acknowledged in various magazines and books. He also works for the magazine Fine Woodworking.
Workshops with Garrett Hack
Günter Bleicher
He grew up in the Upper Palatinate and after training as a boilermaker, he went on a traditional travelling journey that took him through numerous European countries, even as far as New Zealand. Whilst travelling, he became acquainted with the fascination of forging on an open fire with an anvil, which never left him and he would like to pass on this enthusiasm and these techniques to you in his courses. In 2000, he set up his own business as a steel sculptor in his forge and studio, where he produces customised and unique pieces of all kinds.
Workshops with Günter Bleicher
Günther Friese
The aim of the enthusiastic woodturner, master cabinetmaker and freelance artist is to preserve traditional craftsman techniques. He has been giving wood turning courses for beginners and advanced participants for many years. In the DICTUM woodturning workshop he will share with you his enthusiasm for wood as a beautiful material, and he will give you an insight into his enormous wealth of experience.
Workshops with Günther Friese
Hauke Schmidt
Master cabinet maker Hauke Schmidt lives and works in Cologne. Whenever he is not building pieces of furniture according to his own design, he teaches working with solid wood. The spectrum ranges from courses for amateurs to master classes for cabinet makers. For him, teaching and learning are two sides of the same coin, which he loves both - as well as making pieces of art from roof battens.
Workshops with Hauke Schmidt
Heiko Pulcher
The great passion of this skilled carpenter and qualified designer has always been wood and traditional craft techniques. Prior to joining DICTUM, he worked as a freelance writer for several magazines in the woodworking sector.
Workshops with Heiko Pulcher
Heinrich Koch
Heinrich Koch learned this age-old craft from his father. Already as a 12-year-old, he loved helping out in his parents' shingle workshop and has perfected the art of shingle making over the course of his life. Since 1978 Heinrich has worked for German timber-shingle makers Ott as the world's best wood-shingle maker.
Workshops with Heinrich Koch
Herbert Ritter
Herbert Ritter began his career making custom-made saddles; then came several years as a bag-maker for Hermès - Paris, followed by many years as a product developer and manager in the fashion industry. Today, after nearly 30 years professional experience, master saddle- and bag-maker Herbert is focusing his passion on preserving traditional, manual work techniques, with the emphasis on clear, hand-stitched forms, function and quality.
Workshops with Herbert Ritter
Jakob Adam
The learned musician has been fascinated by fire and steel since he was 10 years old. He has a workshop on his farm located in the district of Regen (Germany) and mainly manufactures kitchen and outdoor knives from high-performance Damascus. He also forges axes and other tools there from multi-layer steel or mono steel with a cutting layer. His aim is always to create a unique piece that meets the highest requirements.
Workshops with Jakob Adam
Jakob Aster
The carpenter learned his trade in a small joinery, where much emphasis was placed on hand and detail work. In his hobby joinery he makes furniture from solid wood, processes precious woods in combination with epoxy resin and turns filigree writing utensils and spice mills. His main commitment is to nature conservation and the construction of dwellings for species-appropriate beekeeping. Mr. Aster has been part of the Dictum team since 2016.
Workshops with Jakob Aster
John Lloyd
For twenty years, John has specialised in restoring antique furniture in Sussex, England, working for numerous private customers as well as Sothebys, Christies and St Pauls Cathedral. He shares his profound knowledge in courses and as an author of Woodworking Magazine. His book Furniture Restoration: A Professional at Work offers a collection of his articles, which are highly regarded in specialist circles.
Workshops with John Lloyd
Jonas Mumm
During his studies of architecture, Jonas Mumm already began to make hand-sewn, unique pieces of leather. In 2016, Jonas was able to take over a leather shop in Regensburg, which he converted and expanded into a leather workshop. This was followed in 2018 by the co-founding of the company »THANN-Bioleder«, for which the founders were awarded the accolade of »Kreativpiloten« (German for »creativity pilots«) by the German government. For THANN, Jonas and his colleague have built up a consistent production chain, ranging from an organic farm and a vegetable-based tanning business, to a workshop in Regensburg, where Jonas' minimalistic and functional products are handmade.
Workshops with Jonas Mumm
Josef Eder
Josef Eder spent three years learning basket weaving in the 1950s and completed his training with an apprenticeship certificate. He then practised this craft for many years at a basket weaving company until - due to the change of time - this craft fell into oblivion. In his spare time, however, he never stopped basket weaving and even appeared on »Der Letzte seines Standes«, a German television programme presenting old trades. Today he makes his baskets mainly for museums and craft markets.
Workshops with Josef Eder
Josef Neumeier
As a trained carpenter, Josef Neumeier has been working with wood since an early age. His passion for the mountains then led him to his adopted home, the Berchtesgadener Land. There he studied the profession of violinmaker, which he completed in 2015 with the State Prize. His main interest is repairing stringed instruments.
Workshops with Josef Neumeier
Jimmy Clewes
His charming British style, his creative mind and his magnetic personality make him very popular in the woodturning community. Clewes is a member of Professional Woodturners in the UK and of the American Association of Woodturners. Originating from England, he runs a woodturning school in Las Vegas, USA. He has some 26 years of experience as a professional woodturner and freelance lecturer oll over the world, including Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. He has written many specialist articles published in the Woodturner Magazine and he is the editor of a DVD series.
Workshops with Jimmy Clewes
Jörg Steinhauer
Whether he is building a surrealistic piece of furniture, carving a Gothic altar figure or making a commissioned work for the concept artist Jeff Koons – the qualified master cabinetmaker, master sculptor and handicrafts teacher explores the sculptural scope for design of wood material with enormous inquisitiveness and also exceeds the limit between art and handicraft. His courses are among the most popular courses offered at DICTUM!
Workshops with Jörg Steinhauer
Jürgen Graßler
After years on the road through Europe in the journeyman's tradition, qualified metalworker Jürgen founded his own forge in Germany's Upper Palatinate region. A few years ago he began specialising in historical replicas, in particular tools and weapons. True to the motto a smith keeps learning all his life, he experiments with traditional setups and compound steels, from which he creates not only time-honoured designs but also his own modern style.
Workshops with Jürgen Graßler
Jürgen Rosinski
The enthusiastic smith, knife maker and writer Jürgen Rosinski is going to pass on his expert knowledge in our courses. In his book »Messermachen für Anfänger« (Knife making for beginners) and in his workshop »Einfach schmieden« (Simple forging) he shows that it is possible to make beautiful blades with excellent cutting functionalities even with just a few material and tools. He cordially invites you to participate in his workshop.
Workshops with Jürgen Rosinski
Kanjuro Shibata XXI
Kanjuro Shibata XXI, adopted son and successor of Kanjuro Shibata XX, was officially awarded the title of Imperial Bow Maker in 1994. Since then he has continued the legacy of this bow maker family in its 21st generation. As well as making kyudo bows in his fathers workshop in Kyoto, he also teaches in the Heki-Ryu Bishu Chikurin-Ha school in Europe.
Workshops with Kanjuro Shibata XXI
Kirstin Lang
Kirstins work focuses on preserving the structure, recovering the usability and restoring the surfaces of antique furniture. In her own workshop, the qualified joiner, wood turner and restorer is dedicated to restoration, combining the latest technical knowledge with traditional work methods.
Workshops with Kirstin Lang
Konrad von Liebieg
Being an independent master cabinetmaker, Konrad von Liebieg ran a small workshop on a farmyard in the Lower Bavarian village of Angersdorf. With growing passion he has focussed on weaving chairs for more than 30 years now. You can marvel at his brilliance in working with the so-called “Viennese wickerwork” (Wiener Geflecht) or in repairing old coffee-house chairs on handicraft markets taking place in the Lower Bavarian region.
Workshops with Konrad von Liebieg
Kurt Stangl
Kurt is renowned in his town of Grafenau as a master barber of the old school - which makes him bang on trend. He consistently keeps up the manual tradition of his craft: Wet shaving with a cut-throat razor and hair-cutting with razor, comb and scissors have been the standard in his salon for 47 years. The passion he has for his profession combined with his vast expertise make him the ideal teacher for anyone who wants to learn how to handle a sharp blade.
Workshops with Kurt Stangl
Matthias Freymadl
Boat builder Matthias Freymadl learned his craft in a boatyard on Lake Chiem in Bavaria. He graduated from the Academy of Design & Crafts in Munich with a Master Award. Matthias has been working at Dictum for several years.
Workshops with Matthias Freymadl
Matthias Lehr
The qualified goldsmith loves giving playful elements to hand-forged and cast utility objects with puristic functionality, which are often revealed only at the second glance. He runs a workshop for tools and jewellery in Nuremberg and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg and today gives lectures at the training centre for goldsmiths in the city of Ahlen and at the Chamber of Trades in Koblenz.
Workshops with Matthias Lehr
Melanie Kirchlechner
Cabinetmaker, restorer and sculptor Melanie focuses on the unrestrained use of wood as a material. She encourages and supports her students in making their dreams of wood come true! She also gives an insight into her creative work by writing for technical publications.
Workshops with Melanie Kirchlechner
Michal Hanula
Designer, lecturer and one of the principle proponents of freestyle design in Slovakia, Michal Hanula graduated from the Faculty of Arts of the Technical University in Kosice. Since 2005 he has worked as a lecturer at the School of Applied Arts in Ruzomberok. Using traditional crafting techniques, Michal is known for his work with wood, but his creations also use recycled materials, wire, horn and plastics.
Workshops with Michal Hanula
Pascal Oudet
A wood artist working and living in the French Alps. He is worldwide known for his sandblasted and unique pieces, creating a real lace out of wood which emphasizes all the history of the tree he is working with. His pieces are present in permanent collections of Ateliers d'Art de France, the American Association of Woodturners and the New York Museum of Art and Design.
Workshops with Pascal Oudet
Pauline Adler
Graduate of the Vocational School for Flower Arts in Weihenstephan, Germany, environment educationalist and self-employed with studio in Regensburg, Germany. Inspired by her artistic vision and knowledge of natural materials, Pauline loves to combine different materials, attaching particluar importance to structure, shape, three-dimensionality, movement, changeability, impermanence and considering materials that are in plentiful supply.
Workshops with Pauline Adler
Peter Albert
The carpenter learned his trade in a long-established company in southern Baden, Germany. After passing his journeyman and master's examinations, he has been working as a trainer at the Trade Academy of the Freiburg Chamber of Crafts since 1986. His main focus is project work, for example the construction of a medieval treadwheel crane for the exhibition »Baustelle Gotik – Das Freiburger Münster« (Gothic Building Site - The Freiburg Cathedral) to celebrate the 500th anniversary of its completion.
Workshops with Peter Albert
Peter Lanz
While studying ethnology, the qualified cabinetmaker already worked as a set builder at the Munich TV studios. He was working as a freelance art carpenter in the Munich Gewerkehalle. For several years, he has worked as a consultant for DICTUM in courses dealing with Japanese wood joints.
Workshops with Peter Lanz
Peter Wagensonner
As a trained master woodturner, he has been running his own studio since 1987. He has been working with artistic sculptures and objects for more than 35 years. The trained woodturner produces vessels, urns, wooden balls and large sculptures from whole tree trunks. His connection to wood and trees inspires him in his search for the shape that lies within the material. His works have been shown in numerous galleries, museums and exhibitions.
Workshops with Peter Wagensonner
Philipp Schreistetter
Philipp Schreistetter has been self-employed as a carpenter for 30 years. Since 2012 he has concentrated on turning. He has attended master classes with Mike Tingey, Alfred Baumann and Martin Adomat and has been constantly developing since then. Now he wants to share his enthusiasm for turning, his knowledge and his experience with the course participants. His greatest passion is stone pinewood, from which he turns a wide variety of vessels and utensils.
Workshops with Philipp Schreistetter
Ralph Pfersich
With more than 3000 participants in his courses on log building, Ralph Pfersich is one of our most experienced seminar instructors. Even when he is not teaching, he dedicates most of his time to the construction of log cabins. He has already directed the construction of several single-family houses, hunting lodges, carports, office buildings and other largescale projects worldwide. He loves passing on his comprehensive skills and knowledge to the participants of his courses.
Workshops with Ralph Pfersich
Stefan Schindler
Stefan Schindler, who grew up in Ansbach/Middle Franconia and Bechhofen an der Heide,successfully completed his training as a wood sculptor at the »Staatliche Berufsschule für Holzbildhauer« (vocational training school for wood sculptors) at Oberammergau from 2002 to 2005. From 2005 to 2011, he studied Sculpting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg and then at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow. Since 2011 he has also been a lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg. He has been running his own sculptor's workshop in Nuremberg since 2012.
Workshops with Stefan Schindler
Stefan Stork
Stefan Stork lives and works in the heart of the Allgäu. After graduating from the master school for carpentry, he studied interior design at the Fachakademie für Holzgestaltung in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and has been self-employed since 2010. He makes his turned objects mainly from local woods in his small woodturning manufactory.
For him, the fascination of woodturning lies in the design, which begins where functionality ends. Following this principle, everything is possible if you master the "work of the hands".
Workshops with Stefan Stork
Theo Rothkegel
Already during his teacher training, Theo looked for a way to pursue his penchant for natural materials. In training to become a cooper, he found his calling. Departing from the norm, he has been running a coopers and joiners workshop for nearly 25 years, where he makes solid wood furniture to his own designs.
Workshops with Theo Rothkegel
Thomas Gstettenbauer
Chef and master hotelier Thomas Gstettenbauer is passionate about venison and knows game anatomy inside out. As a keen hunter, he maintains the largest deer reserve in the Bavarian Forest nature park with more than 200 animals. With his family, he runs a multiple-award winning deer farm in Bernried, Bavaria.
Workshops with Thomas Gstettenbauer
Thomas Steindl
The creative master cabinetmaker is especially interested in a natural processing of beautiful wood material. Various further trainings help him to permanently develop and expand his art and handicraft repertoire. He has a passion for constructing traditional longbows and artistic woodturning in various ways, especially using green wood.
Workshops with Thomas Steindl
Tom Fidgen
Tom Fidgen is an author, musician, designer living in Toronto, Canada. Tom has written for Popular Woodworking Magazine, Fine Woodworking Magazine, Canadian Woodworking Magazine. His first book, Made by Hand, was the top selling wood working book and is regarded as The definitive book of how to build woodworking projects using hand tools. Tom teaches woodworking with hand tools on an international level.
Workshops with Tom Fidgen
Ulrich Blaut
The qualified smith, metal worker, master designer and specialist teacher pursues his passion for hand forging at the vocational school at Michelstadt both in his private and professional life. He has set up a perfectly equipped smithy in his home. He passes on his know-how on the processing of red-hot steel to interested participants. Thus he preserves the old craftsmanship from being forgotten.
Workshops with Ulrich Blaut
Ulrike Scriba
Ulrike Scriba was raised in a family of artisans and then attended the school for arts and crafts Werkkunstschule Darmstadt. After several restoration projects, among them at the palace of the Würzburg Residence, she discovered her love for the art of intarsia. Her artistically sophisticated objects, tins, caskets and trays meet acclaim in museums and galleries all over the world.
Workshops with Ulrike Scriba
Werner Haböck
In a time when there were still many smaller breweries in Lower Bavaria the trade of coopers was very much sought after and important. Today, Werner Haböck from Obergessenbach is the last cooper in the district of Deggendorf. Being a former German champion in his trade, the likeable gentleman from Lower Bavaria is a very popular specialist for handmade barrels, tubs and wooden bath tubs.
Workshops with Werner Haböck
Wolfgang Messert
Wolfgang Messert is a member of the DICTUM Workshop staff and loves sharing his enthusiasm for cabinet making with the participants of our courses. He is particularly interested in the field of sharpening tools and knives and therefore also teaches this topic in various courses. In his free time he also pursues his passion for cabinetmaking, for example by making very beautiful intarsia work.
Workshops with Wolfgang Messert
