12 Spoons, 2 Bowls, and a Knife

As the leading how-to magazine for woodcarvers, Woodcarving Illustrated promotes woodcarving as a fun pastime and recognized art form. Whether you’re just getting started in the world of woodcarving or have been making chips for decades, Woodcarving Illustrated is designed to help you make the most of your carving time. Each quarterly issue is jammed with projects, instructions, photos, tool reviews, tips, and techniques. Expert guidance from the world’s most talented carvers helps you to complete more projects and hone your skills. | Brian Bailey retired after working for the state of New York for almost thirty years. For the past twenty-five years, he has been sawing and drying his own lumber. He started carving as a youngster and has been carving off an on since then. | Chris Lubkemann is the author of five best-selling whittling books from Fox Chapel Publishing, including The Little Book Of Whittling and Big Book Of Whittle Fun. A child of missionaries, Chris Lubkemann grew up in the forests of Brazil and Peru, where he developed an appreciation for knives and entertained himself—and others—by handcrafting rafts, tree houses, traps, and slingshots from scrap wood. Since that time, he has continued to integrate his woodworking skills with good old-fashioned fun. Chris has carved some of the world’s smallest branch carvings, and his smallest branch rooster was given a Guinness World Record Certificate. Chris currently demonstrates whittling as the resident woodcarver at the Amish Farm and House in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. | David Western constantly endeavors to expand the artistic boundaries of lovespoon carving. David was born in Cardiff, Wales, and now resides in Victoria, B.C., Canada. A self-taught carver, David graduated from the London College of Furniture with certification in cabinetmaking and advanced furniture design. He also holds a degree in education from the University of British Columbia. While running a cabinetmaking shop in Victoria, David's casual interest in Welsh lovespoons grew into an overwhelming passion. Carving lovespoons to order is now his livelihood. David also teaches lovespoon carving at Camosun College in Victoria. David specializes in complicated and delicate Celtic knotwork. He also draws ideas from Art Deco, Northwest Coast First Nations, and Islamic art forms when creating his unique designs. He keeps a foot firmly in tradition though: each of his spoons is handcarved from a single piece of wood. All of David's spoons also demonstrate the deep passion and commitment that separate genuine lovespoons from mere souvenirs. | Elizabeth Sherman, an artist from Tennessee, began carving approximately two years ago as a hobby. She is a self-taught carver and enjoys creating handcrafted functional art, such as spoons and other handcarved pieces. She frequently can be found at local markets and fairs with her two children, and, on occasion, they can also be seen carving wooden spoons with her. Elizabeth teaches spoon carving classes and hosts spoon gatherings in the southeastern United States. Contact her on Instagram and Facebook at @liztnmaker or email her at liztnmaker@gmail.com | Emmet Van Driesche is a professional spoon carver, writer, and farmer living in western Massachusetts. He publishes Spoonesaurus Magazine, a print-only publication that celebrates the craft of spoon carving. Find out more about him at EmmetVanDriesche.com or follow along on Instagram at @emmet_van_driesche. | Josh Rittenhouse has been involved with woodworking his whole life. At a young age, Josh could always be found in his father's woodshop helping out with various projects. He began carving spoons in 2015 and has carved hundreds since. Find Josh on Instagram at @partakegoods and online at partakegoods.com. | Karen Henderson is retired. She began carving in 1998 and enjoys a variety of types of carving, such as caricatures, bark, and especially spoons. She teaches carving and enjoys sharing her ideas with other woodcarvers at a weekly gathering of carvers during the winter. Karen lives in St. Francis, Minnesota. | Kevin Kaminski has been carving spoons and other treenware since 2005. He especially enjoys working in local hardwoods that are durable and sustainable. He lives in New Castle, Delaware. Contact him at wizardstower1@gmail.com. | Saskia De Jager started selling her carvings under the brand Ash & Elm in 2015, after she and her partner moved to a small Karoo town in South Africa. Regardless of the growing culture of machine-carved wood, Saskia believes in preserving the art of handcarved wooden pieces of art, which are sold all around the globe. Find her on Instagram at @ash_and_elm