Spoon making workshop at the Remakery - carving out the bowl of the spoon. For the background to all of this, please read on ....
Tree into spoons (and more)
This story for me started one day in late February when I heard from my friend Jana, a fellow tree-lover, about some interesting logs at the Maudsley. He was sad to see the end of the trees and wanted the wood to go to a good home. Within less than 24 hours and with the fantastic help from the workers at IH Projects, I was able to gather a small amount of wood. Some of the smaller Sycamore pieces would be used straight away for Spoon making workshops at the Remakery, and the larger Poplar ones for future chair making.
The Remakery
We are an eco-workshop, resource centre and creative hub (located between Brixton and Camberwell). Artists, designers and craftspeople come together to learn how to (re)use local resources in useful, innovative and beautiful ways. There’s less waste of material resources, local people can participate in a community project, and a distinctive collaborative approach to making and creating is given room to develop.
Spoon making at the Remakery
We’ve recently been hosting workshops for members in how to make spoons from local green (freshly cut) wood in one day. We learn how to use axes and knives safely and effectively to create a simple and useful object. We get to know something about wood - how it grows when it’s alive, how it changes when it’s not, and how to work with these dynamic qualities.
Some participants (total of ten so far) had done very little woodworking before whilst others have lots of experience with contemporary methods. Comments:
“I have never worked with wood before ……. and am chuffed to have a working spoon/ladle at the end of the day”
"A wonderful workshop! The experience was almost meditative, slowly whittling a piece of wood into an object. I enjoyed learning a new skill and to come away with my own unique hand-carved spoon was fantastic. "
Learning and Green Woodworking
Green woodworking is a low tech, calm and non-competitive craft. Learners gain confidence through making, responding to the wood itself and the potential of simple tools. It’s quiet and peaceful, helping us be personally present and focused within a sociable activity.
Urban Wood
Rather than carrying it away to burn or make chip board, using wood locally from cut down trees is more environmentally friendly, especially when we use low tech methods to work with it. It also helps us appreciate our city as a natural place and to value its living trees.
Further information
For the latest news at the Remakery go to remakery.org. For spoon making and other Green Woodworking events locally watch that space, or if you can’t wait get in touch with me at [email protected]. See bodgers.org.uk for information about Green Woodworking in general.
Thanks to all those at the Remakery who contributed to these activities and thoughts.
Paul Shrubshall 5.3.20
This story for me started one day in late February when I heard from my friend Jana, a fellow tree-lover, about some interesting logs at the Maudsley. He was sad to see the end of the trees and wanted the wood to go to a good home. Within less than 24 hours and with the fantastic help from the workers at IH Projects, I was able to gather a small amount of wood. Some of the smaller Sycamore pieces would be used straight away for Spoon making workshops at the Remakery, and the larger Poplar ones for future chair making.
The Remakery
We are an eco-workshop, resource centre and creative hub (located between Brixton and Camberwell). Artists, designers and craftspeople come together to learn how to (re)use local resources in useful, innovative and beautiful ways. There’s less waste of material resources, local people can participate in a community project, and a distinctive collaborative approach to making and creating is given room to develop.
Spoon making at the Remakery
We’ve recently been hosting workshops for members in how to make spoons from local green (freshly cut) wood in one day. We learn how to use axes and knives safely and effectively to create a simple and useful object. We get to know something about wood - how it grows when it’s alive, how it changes when it’s not, and how to work with these dynamic qualities.
Some participants (total of ten so far) had done very little woodworking before whilst others have lots of experience with contemporary methods. Comments:
“I have never worked with wood before ……. and am chuffed to have a working spoon/ladle at the end of the day”
"A wonderful workshop! The experience was almost meditative, slowly whittling a piece of wood into an object. I enjoyed learning a new skill and to come away with my own unique hand-carved spoon was fantastic. "
Learning and Green Woodworking
Green woodworking is a low tech, calm and non-competitive craft. Learners gain confidence through making, responding to the wood itself and the potential of simple tools. It’s quiet and peaceful, helping us be personally present and focused within a sociable activity.
Urban Wood
Rather than carrying it away to burn or make chip board, using wood locally from cut down trees is more environmentally friendly, especially when we use low tech methods to work with it. It also helps us appreciate our city as a natural place and to value its living trees.
Further information
For the latest news at the Remakery go to remakery.org. For spoon making and other Green Woodworking events locally watch that space, or if you can’t wait get in touch with me at [email protected]. See bodgers.org.uk for information about Green Woodworking in general.
Thanks to all those at the Remakery who contributed to these activities and thoughts.
Paul Shrubshall 5.3.20