Something Special

I’m selective. I’ve learned over time that not everyone appreciates handmade gifts. I’ve also learned that most of my close friends and acquaintances find interest in wood grain, shape, and color, too.

No, it’s not that there is something wrong with manufactured. I have lots of prized manufactured items. It’s just not the same as the cigarette box with the small ship carved on it, the spoons. Those are one-of-a-kind things. Even the humble spoon is unique. The cherry wood from which I carved it matured on a tree not far from me. I shaped it from a split of a log. Then I carved the bowl and shaped the handle to be pleasing to hold. It was sanded, oiled, and presented to you because you were special.

I enjoy making and giving away unique things. Let’s talk about treen here. While it is not the only thing I give away, it is the most frequently given. It starts with the split or sawn log. I pick and choose carefully. I am looking for interesting colors and grain. Something too knotty, bland, or otherwise without character is not eligible. The mass producer is looking to maximize production. They need to keep costs low and produce something uniform, one piece to the next.

I’m not interested in uniformity. I understand people use different grips and holds on a spoon or spatula. It depends on what they are using it for. So often, the handle bends and twists, offering several places to hold. Even the “straight” ones are uniform.

I get asked if I follow ancient or traditional designs. I dither on this. Because sometimes I get carried away while carving. The artistic ancestry of some pieces relates more to my fascination with the surrealists like Dali than traditional New England.

In recent years, I’ve come to give more treen away, do the work for free, than sell it. I no longer do shows and specialize in ship and boat portraiture in wood. So much of the annual production of treen is for presents.