Spoon carving
Creative Nature HQ’s Spoon carving workshops offer a space to learn to carve spoons from green wood. Green wood is freshly cut with a high moisture content making it a beautiful and easy way to carve.
The act of carving a spoon introduces us nicely to three essential spoon carving tools: the carving axe, the straight knife and the crook knife. With these tools and some practice, we can easily reveal the form of a spoon out of every log we find.
We run regular spoon carving workshops both at Creative Nature HQ, based in SE18 and at our Forest workshops at Woodlands Farm Trust in Shooters Hill, Lesnes Abbey Woods in Bexley and in a private nine acre site in Welling.
If you get hooked, you can dramatically bring down the cost of these sessions by buying Membership and Time bundles to use in the studio outside of workshop hours.
What to bring?
Suitable clothing that you don't mind getting wood chip on!
Due to Covid, we are keeping the doors open for airflow. One whole side of the studio is open to the elements, so make sure you wear warm clothing and sensible footwear.
All materials and tools provided.
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
The joy of carving a spoon!
We begin this journey together!
In our fast-paced lives, we often ignore our basic desire to make things, an instinctual creativity and ancient knowledge that may be dormant within us. I call this is our creative nature. As humans, we are born to make. The process of transformation is a deeply satisfying experience and taking part in a spoon carving workshop is a modest and achievable way in. When we learn new skills, we gain a deep sense of satisfaction that connects us to thousands of years of tradition and making.
By carving a spoon, which is by nature a functional object and one we are all familiar with, we are free from the pressure of deciding what to carve and instead we can become familiar with the tools of this ancient craft. As you gain confidence with the tools, you begin to build a relationship with small scale carving and understand the subtle and addictive qualities of this new hobby.
Booking a spoon carving course in London
You have the option of booking a one-off experience, as a half-day, evening or full-day session or come for several sessions to give you the time to develop your skills and finish your spoon to a high standard. Alternatively, if your time is flexible, you can dramatically bring down the cost by buying Membership and Time bundles to use in the studio outside of workshop hours.
So many ways for you to develop your spoon carving skills!
Do I get to take my work home with me?
Yes!
You have several options. You take your spoon home with you and you can finish it with sand paper, or carry on carving with your own tools at home. Tools will be on sale at the end of the workshops and further advice on how to finish your work. Alternatively you can become a Member and use the Time bundle scheme to come back to the studio and take advantage of our tools and tuition at a time that suits you.
What to expect
Classes are made up of a maximum of ten students (5 at the moment due to Covid restrictions) and take place in the beautiful space that is the Creative Nature HQ studio. Larger groups can also be accommodated in our wonderful woodland settings.
Some students will be first time carvers and others returning to hone their skills and gain more experience.
The spoon carving workshops are led by Stephen Stockbridge, sculptor, maker and Forest School teacher with over 30 years carving experience. He will guide you through the steps of making a wooden spoon of your very own. We will explore tool safety, knife grips, wood selection and begin to understand the art of tool sharpening. You are supported through the whole process and encouraged to explore carving in your own way and at your own pace. This is an exercise in slowing down and settling your attention.
Taking your carving further
From learning the art of spoon carving, you will have the knowledge to go away and build on what you have learned in your own time. There are opportunities to further develop your skills on projects using other tools, for instance to explore hand carved bowls. It is advised to master the foundation skills that spoon carving provides. These workshops are designed to be a wonderful experience on their own but are also your gateway to the craft. Knowing how to carve safely and well with a knife is as rewarding as it is empowering. It helps broaden your understanding of wood as a material, gives a solid foundation for your skills in every aspect of traditional woodwork.
If you would like to know how to find and source wood for your own projects and what type of tools to buy, Stephen is always happy to advise. You will be able to buy spoon carving tools from us at Creative Nature HQ along with a range of sharpening kits. You will learn new skills and make new friends within a calm and gentle space. People work at different speeds, so to make a truly finished spoon it will take at least two sessions. The key to good carving is practice. All tools and materials are provided.