Dio Dio Collective work with crafts including traditional Cypriot chairs, bone work / engraving, Finnish puukko knives and other techniques on wood, metal and reclaimed bone.
The publication “The Flying and The Seated – Notes about the traditional chair of Phini village” is a handmade artist book published by Dio Dio Collective in 2023.
Craft demonstration and chair craft lessons are carried out on frequent basis.
View our latest work on our instagram page @diodiohandmade or our Facebook page
Chairs (τσαέρες)
Dio Dio repair old chairs, organise lessons of various content and levels and create a very limited amount of new chairs according to the traditional methods that have evolved locally. The Cypriot term tsaéra is the word we noticed is used to refer to the mountain model ladderback chairs with wood in it’s natural shape as it is harvested from the nearby forests, and a seat woven with locally harvested and hand spun Cattail rope called tónos.
Our chair work is based on the heritage of Phini village on the Southern slope of Troodos mountains, a community that was once well known for it’s chair makers. Focusing on the repair of old chairs helps us follow the ethical guidelines of production, while we honour the pieces that have been made with effort and have been present in important events in their people’s lives. Sometimes we have some old restored chairs for sale.
It is with joy that we give workshops of chair making, in sessions of varying content and intensity. This is one of the actions that aim to revive the craft, and share what it has taught us with you. Contact us to arrange a group session or private lessons.
Handmade artist book
The Flying and The Seated – Notes about the traditional chair of Phini village
Dio Dio Collective, 2023
Konstantina Achilleos, Tuomas Venäläinen, Aggela Stavrou
Story translation Sonia Christofi, editing Valerie Mavratsas (English) and Lisa Solomou (Cypriot Greek)
The flying and the seated is a window to the world of the Phini Chair, a traditional chair of Phini, a Cypriot mountain village. Its pages include a beautiful story, written by Aggela Stavrou, accompanied by illustrations that were hand engraved on wood, along with detailed information about the Phini Chair, curated with care by the Dio Dio Collective. This book is part of the Phini Chair project that aims to revive this endangered craft and the sustainable values it carries, as well as to cultivate appreciation for an undervalued culture.
Puukko knives
Puukko knives, handmade by Dio Dio Collective from forging to engraving. Materials include local, reclaimed bone or antler, high carbon and Damascus steel, recycled silver, wood and burl, leather.
Chameleon theme, campfire theme and birch deco with initials.
Chameleon engraving by artist Katie Sabry’s drawing.
Jewellery
Hand engraved jewellery from reclaimed bone and recycled silver.
Dio Dio Collective create one-of-a-kind and small collections of jewellery, decorated with themes that come from their natural & cultural environment. Made from scratch by the team, starting with sourcing raw materials such as bone that is waste material of a local butcher, to handicraft processes using hand & machine tools. The metal components are shaped from verified recycled 925 silver and in some occasions other precious metals.
When the desired form is achieved, detailed decoration designed by Dio Dio is engraved on the bone object’s surface with hand engraving tools. The engraving is filled with charcoal or other material to reveal the image that has been shaped, and fixed to place. Finally, the ready jewellery are polished.
Dio Dio Collective 