Henry hated waste and as a lover of good red wine, he might keep a cork from a particularly good bottle as a reminder of family celebration or an especially good meal. When he had more than a few corks he began to think of how to use them in a way that would both celebrate the wine and the memory. Thus his hobby Enrico was born.
Henry tinkered with how to prepare the corks and how to create strong and beautiful models. This process evolved over several years and resulted in the creation of the perfect templates and the right equipment to cut and shape his works of art. Along the way Henry experimented with different methods of style, structure and adhesion.
Henry loved to work and create with his hands and he was a perfectionist.
When he would look at his first cork boards ( which are cherished today by his children and grandchildren) he would say “No don’t display this, it has uneven edges” or “I’m working on a better one”. Henry also created some whimsical family treasures like the cork-handled salad fork and spoon, the wine glass whose broken stem ends in a circle of corks and cork picture frames.
Henry’s son, Paul followed in his father’s footsteps professionally and with his passion to create useful items from recycled wine corks. Henry didn’t explain all of his secrets, so Paul had to painstakingly recreate the technique of fitting the corks together in a manner that was both attractive and stable. His success is evident in the artistry of every Enrico creation.
This venture is truly a family affair. When Henry died he left thousands of corks- gathered from cooperative waitstaff at fine restaurants. Paul’s determination to carry on his father’s craft shifted the corks and equipment from his parents basement to his own, a testament to the patience of both his mother and wife!
A fourth generation of the family is involved as Paul’s grandchildren Evin, Daniel and Tessa help sort the corks for Grandpa.
While they are too young to appreciate fine wine, it is never too soon to teach children of the importance of family, tradition and good stewardship of the earth’s natural resources.
