Wood tattoos

PHOTOS Shavan Rahim WORDS Malibongwe Tyilo

Lees in Afrikaans.

Raoul Goetze is a multimedia designer by training, a tattoo artist by day, guitar player for psychedelic rock’n’roll band Wild Eastern Arches after hours, and between all of that he produces visual art, prints, drawings and etchings. His stunning intricate mandalas, which he sketches and laser-engraves onto mahogany wood, have caught our eye.

“I specialised in graphic design, which taught me the discipline of design layout, conceptualisation, attention to detail, striving for perfection and making something visually attractive. However, I longed for hands-on design using only a pencil and piece of paper. This is why I chose wood – to get my hands dirty again,” Raoul explains. He is also inspired by the ritualistic spiritual background behind mandalas, and is fascinated by the balance and detail in their construction.

We’ve seen them, we’ve touched them, and we’re captivated by their eclectic influences and the way they draw from the different creative disciplines in which their creator immerses himself. According to Raoul, they are a point of departure for future projects that will concentrate on visual and functional designs. We’ll definitely be keeping a look out for more from this maestro.

raoulgoetze.com, 084 089 6601, raoul.goetze@gmail.com