My life has always been closely connected to wood. Whether it was a longing to be among the trees as a child, to treading along one hundred year old pine floors in college lecture halls, playing traditional music of the British isles on guitar, or repairing stringed instruments as may job for the past 17 years, and now actually living on five acres of woodland.
Like so many carvers, my introduction to spoon carving was accidental. In 2012 with two young children and a tight income, my wife and I decided to make Christmas gifts for each other. For some reason I cannot now remember, I decided on wood cooking spoons. My first spoons were made by bandsaw, gouge and sandpaper!! But, it launched on the path to spoon carving, and I quickly discovered the Swedish tradition of greenwood working and haven’t looked back.
For me, spoon carving is functional art. I love the tangible connection between hand, tool and tree. In a world run by machines, the centering and healing power of the process has become a vital part of my life and has given me a desire to spread craft through my wares and teaching.