Made You Look: Michelle Holzapfel’s intricate wood carvings

Michelle Holzapfel and her husband have a shop in Malboro, Vermont. Surrounded by maple, basswood, birch, and butternut trees, she sources and dries the lumber sourced off her own property. Michelle considers wood a “quintessential material” and lets the grain and cell structure dictate what that material becomes, whether it’s sculptural pieces or bowls carved on her machinists lathe. The way she uses the precision of the machinists lathe to turn bowls is worth the watch alone.

At a young age she was taught to sew by hand, teaching her hand and eye coordination from a young age. Then, learning to carve as a teenager inspired her to start a lifelong journey in the craft. At 17, she moved to Malboro, and knew she was home. Her relationship with the land, her use of its materials and respect for their cohabitation is a beautiful thing.

More of Michelle Holzapfel and her husbands work can be found here: www.holzapfelwoodworking.com

Made You Look are videos we’ve found on the web that we thought were worth sharing with our audience. Let us know if you find anything you think is worth a look in the comments below!

The Best Woods for Carving

Basswood isn’t the only species that performs well under the carving knife

Storing Green Wood for Carving

A reader asks, “What’s the best way to store the log before working it, and how long do I have to wait for it to be ready for carving?”

All About Carving Techniques

Primarily an ornamental treatment today, carving on furniture has its origin in purely practical reasons, such as the need to shed water, prevent dust buildup, disguise joints, or provide softer edges.…