Intro to Green Woodcarving with Maeve Gathje

Get a taste of carving with fresh wood using traditional tools and techniques with carving instructor Maeve. This quick overview of “green” woodcarving will introduce basic tools, terminology, and concepts of working with wood recently cut from trees, which is a foundational style for spoon carving and traditional Scandinavian homewares and furniture. With a carving knife in hand, participants will practice some basic knife grips and try carving a small butter spreader. This class is a great opportunity for new carvers to try out a Scandinavian-style carving knife and find out if woodcarving suits them!

Additional Information

• A $20 materials fee is due to the instructor in class and covers all materials and tools used.
• Physical ability: Woodcarving requires good hand strength and flexibility (such as being able to open a sealed jar).
• Skill level: Open to all skill levels; see notes on picking an intro wood carving class below.
• Ages: Suitable for ages 16+ or ages 11-15 accompanied by a registered adult. Are you wondering which green woodcarving course is right for you? Intro to Green Woodcarving (previously titled Green Woodcarving 101) is meant for students seeking a few basic tips to start carving on their own or for anyone considering a longer carving class who wants to try out a short course for less time and expense to see if it’s a good fit. Green Woodcarving Foundations (previously titled Green Woodcarving 102) is open for new carvers to have a more in-depth introduction (offered quarterly; can be taken after or instead of Intro to Green Woodcarving). We suggest this class as a pre-requisite to our spoon carving courses or anywhere previous green woodcarving experience is recommended. Half-day “Flat Plane” classes are perfect for carvers interested in trying dry wood (e.g., figure carving). Try out a class like the carve a heart, veggie, or dala horse projects.