traditional wood carving

We interrupt this fabric-paint-workshop post series with a little traditional wood carving! 😉

I´m staying at my uncle´s house in Bergen, and he´s been wood-carving for years now, and his house  is full of these wonderful treasures that he´s made. Wood-carving like this, with the “rose-painted” motifs, I believe is a Nordic tradition. A lot of traditional crafts are surprisingly universal, and this type of pattern came traditionally from Germany. Norwegians made their own version of the acanthus, hence the “rose-painting” (which IS painted by the way) The carving is usually left all natural, not painted, and the paintings are usually on flat pieces.

The wood used is dry, and most of the time very hard to work with.Birch, oak, willow, pine… It requires more muscles than I have for sure!

This clock is for you, Michelle! 😉 Isn´t it lovely?!

The project he´s working on at the moment is this “ferda-skrin” Which basically is an old-fashioned suitcase. Still some carving to be done, then it will be adorned and strengthened by wrought iron. This is made in willow.

The patterned used, traced onto paper. A big thing like this takes months and months to make.

He´s also made a very untraditional little gem. His wife is from New Zealand, and this piece of kauri wood is over 20 000 years old! He´s carved in a kiwi, the national bird of New Zealand, and thereby combines the family´s cultures and traditions in a personal way.