Webshop and Class Update!
It’s been a long time since I’ve put some focus into newsletters. 2024 was a whirlwind. I moved house, rebuilt my network and I was teaching one to three - three day classes a month around the midwest. A bit of a shift from my usual operation which was more focused on my webshop and selling my carvings.
I’m starting to design some carving tools which I am hoping to start releasing this summer/fall. I’ve been finding a lot of limitation with my carving tools, and what is currently available out there. Hollowing tools are on my radar and I’ve been experimenting with some very unique designs to push my forms and hollows even further. That’s all I can say about that subject at the moment. If you’re interested in this, keep your eyes on my website for updates, and if you’re interested in helping me by investing in this, I can use some help. Making tools is expensive. Buying some gear to do this, as well as working with blacksmiths adds up. But I’m excited to finally be in a place where I can finally transform day-dreamt creations into actual tools in my hands, and yours.
An update on life
I’m relocating again, but staying in Minnesota and I’m excited to build my first proper workshop ever after 15 years of carving for a living. This will completely change how I’m able to create the tableware I carve and how I run my business. It’s hard to believe, but everything I’ve made and ever sold was carved in my “hobo studio” - Axe work would be out in the yard and even sometimes out on the sidewalk in the city. I would do my finishing work in my kitchen under a little bare bulb lamp every night.
Having my lap and hands as my studio has given me so much freedom to carve in interesting places, and the flexibility to take my work anywhere I wanted. But I look forward to some structure, and saving me the hassle not having to pack everything up every time I want to take a break. This can make work feel rushed or stifled, and limits me to using my smaller portable hand tools. Having a shop will also allow me to work on larger projects, build bigger dreams, host classes at a small headquarters, forge a cool carving club, and hang spot for my fellow creative wizard artist friends.
Teaching and classes
I’ve been sticking to teaching at least once a month, and I wanted to share those dates with you incase you’re interested in taking up the axe & knife.
Are You Sharp? Sharpening Workshop “It’s the dull knife that cuts you.” Finnish American Folk School - Upper Peninsula, Michigan - May 16
Spoon Carving Finnish American Folk School - Upper Peninsula, Michigan - May 17-18
Kuksa Carving Spoon Gathering Prefest Course in Milan, Minnesota - June 3-5
The 19th Spoon Gathering - The World’s First International Spoon Festival - Milan, MN June 5-7
Kuksa Carving at North House Folk School - Grand Marais, MN July 1-3
August - I’ve been invited to teach kuksa carving at the legendary Swedish Folk Art School Sätergläntan for Täljfest! - August 1-3 - It’s a huge honor to be asked to represent my work in Scandinavia! This is a wood carving festival that only happens once every three years and hosts some of the biggest names in the carving world.
I will be traveling around Sweden after that for a while and that stage is still in the planning stages.
This is also an announcement that the people reading this have the first dibs on my newest kuksas that I just uploaded to the webshop! They’re live right now!
If you’ve been thinking about supporting my craft, this fleet of cups will be helping fund some of the materials I need to build my workshop space and help fund my tool research. I’m also hoping to invest in some new tools for the shop, as well as tools for my students in the classroom.