Nick Murphy

I never meant to become a spoon carver. I carved a spoon by accident once and never stopped. It rapidly became a source of respite and complete creative mindfulness, somewhere to go after a busy day in the woods once the kids were in bed. I’m a maker. I need to make stuff. Give me a guitar and I can sit for hours; give me an axe, knife and a piece of wood and I’ll tap into the same vein to achieve a totally different outcome, whilst satisfying the same need. The difference is that playing music is essentially achieving happiness through interesting ways to make the air vibrate and as quick as the sound is made, the sound is gone. Carving gives me something that lasts and can be physically felt and held onto.

I have a family, and manage a Forest School. I spend my working life out in the woods, and a good percentage of my days off in the woods too. I love being around trees, and I love working with what they provide us with. Different woods present different characters, personalities and challenges. Although much of my work now is based upon tried and tested designs, each spoon emerges slightly differently; something which should be celebrated. I loves it I does.

I hope that my being involved in a project such as ‘The Spoon Crank’ encourages other people to enjoy this wonderful craft in the most accessible way possible.