Born in Germany and working in Picton (Prince Edward County, ON), Andreas Krätschmer works exclusively with reclaimed wood. He studied cabinetmaking at the École des métiers du meuble de Montréal. In his practice, the material takes an active part in the creative process and invites him to reflect on the life of the material itself. Starting with locally salvaged wood with unpredictable characteristics, the artist uses fire to amplify the natural tension in the drying wood and celebrates the resulting cracks and imperfections. Andreas Krätschmer received grants from the Canada Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council. His pieces have been exhibited in multiple exhibitions nationally.