Carving a Mushroom Spoon from Colombian DormilΓ³n Wood I recently finished my first mushroom spoon, carved from a piece of DormilΓ³n wood I brought back from a trip to Colombia. It took a few months, stretched my skills further than any spoon I've carved before, and this morning, after its second coat of finish, I'm genuinely proud of how it turned out. I'd still call myself a moderate beginner. I've whittled maybe ten spoons over the last two or three years. I started on pine and basswood spoon blanks, moved on to harder walnut and cherry blanks, and eventually graduated to scraps and branches I found out in the world: a piece of redwood a friend brought back from a...
"Stuff is stuff β it's replaceable, more so when you can make it. So I don't fret about stuff." Β We connected with Naomie after she reached out to share a bit about her carving journey β and we're glad she did. She's a self-taught maker from a small town in upstate New York, just north of the Adirondacks, with a philosophy about wood, tools, and life that we thought was worth sharing. Here's a look at her story! Β Tell us a little about yourself and where you're from. I am 42, from NY state, a little town in the Champlain Valley β 16 miles from the Canadian border and just north of the Adirondack Mountains. I refer to...
A few weeks ago, I asked our community a question β actually, two questions. What are you working on right now? And what's something you finished recently that you're proud of? I shared that I had two projects sitting on my own workbench that I hadn't touched in a while: a whittled whale and a relief carving of a character (Vin) from the Mistborn series. I needed motivation, and I figured the best place to find it was this community. You delivered. We received dozens of responses β photos, descriptions, works-in-progress, finished pieces, and a few people who haven't started yet but are ready to. The range of skill levels, subjects, and styles was genuinely humbling. And for what it's...
Alright, its that time of year! We're all scrambling to find the perfect gift. Or at least something that conveys we're thinking of somebody and have at least a general understanding of things they enjoy. If there's a wood carver in your life you've come to the right place, because I just did a bunch of the legwork for you. Yes there's awesome wood carving tools for the beginner or the seasoned carver. Yes there are educational and inspirational materials for the carver who already has too many tools. And yes, there's even funny merch for the wood carvers, whittlers, spoon carvers who seem to already have it all. I can guarantee they don't have this merch already. How you...
You never know where curiosity will take you.Β When 12-year-old Galip AΔirkaya picked up his first wood carving tool during a school vacation in Istanbul, he had no idea he was beginning a lifelong journey that would span nearly five decades. Driven by his curiosity and fascination with the craft, he started carving - and never stopped. Today, Galip is a master wood carver with 45 years of professional experience, teaching wood carving workshops, connecting artisans across continents and working to preserve one of the world's oldest art forms. His story is a testament to the power of passion, continuous learning, and the deep connections that wood carving creates across cultures. We're honored to feature Galip in our community spotlight...
