Gananoque Arts Network

Introduction to Greenwood Spoon Carving  

NEW: Previous experience with spoon carving or using sharp-edged hand tools is required to participate as instruction for beginners will no longer be provided. No experience? Try our all new INTRODUCTION TO GREENWOOD SPOON CARVING Workshop for in-depth instruction before joining the Greenwood Spoon Carving Social Club.

NEW: Coming in from Kingston? Please consider attending instead our new MacLachlan Woodworking Museum Greenwood Spoon Carving Club located on Highway 2 at Grass Creek Park. Information is available on their website.

Who we are:

Can the act of carving a wooden spoon with simple hand tools be an act of community building, social change, and resistance? We think it can. It's also fun as heck, as high or low an art form as you're looking for, and promises to still the mind like few activities can.

As just one branch on a growing tree of greenwood spoon carving clubs, guilds and circles, we're grateful for the model those before us have provided in inspiring us to take a stand by sitting down and carving together.

We invite you to join an inclusive and supportive community of folks interested in just hanging out and carving spoons together!

What to expect:

This is a social event intended for those who have attended an Introduction to Greenwood Spoon Carving Workshop or have some experience with spoon carving, green woodworking, or using edged hand tools.

Everyone 16+ welcome. Whether you're a beginner/intermediate carver or further along on your carving journey, you can expect to feel inspired by those around you and empowered by this slyly subversive and powerfully democratic craft.

This is an untaught event, however participants can expect to be supported and supervised in their explorations of a number of techniques and approaches; safe tool use, spoon layout and design, roughing out blanks, finish carving, and treating completed spoons.

What to bring:

-Carving tools such as straight and spoon knives, but don't worry if you don't have tools - we'll provide all the required tools.

-Your own lunch if you wish or try the onsite cafe for tasty teas, coffee and snacks

-Do you have a green (fresh) branch or limb from a tree you'd like to share (min 4" diameter)? Please bring it along!