About Me

I have recently moved from the North East of England England to West Oxfordshire and have been spooncarving for about twelve years. I have an academic background and have taught courses in ecology and conservation at both Southampton and Newcastle Universities. My favourite course was on woodland ecology and management. I'm very excited by the idea of bringing woodlands back into active management for conservation whilst at the same time making them economically productive. Spoon carving is a natural extension of the woodland crafts that go with active management. It gives me a wonderful contrast to my current job with the Open University and allows me to keep a collection of really sharp knives and axes! I really enjoy the design aspects of spooncarving and the developing my dexterity and skills with a carving knife.

I am a member of the Association of Pole Lathe Turners and Green Woodworkers. The Association hosts an excellent website at www.bodgers.org.uk. We have a local Oxford group, the Oxford Woodland Craft Group. I’m also getting involved in the Wytchwood Project here in West Oxfordshire which is a wonderful collection of woodland-inspired projects including the development of new community woodland on the outskirts of Witney, Foxburrow Wood.

I teach courses on spooncarving  and hope to be able to populate this site with useful information and inspiration for virtual spooncarvers everywhere. I’m an irregular blogger at davidknight5.wordpress.com