Woodcarving and Sculpting has been my hobby for 26 years, and the beginning of 2010 I decided to share my work with people who admire this craft. The feeling of satisfaction I get when creating a handcrafted sculpture drives me to spend each day doing what I am best at and enjoy. I have developed an interest for nature's forms, and the Australian lifestyle. Wood, especially recycled, is my preferred material; it's always full of surprises. I also love the challenge knowing there is no room for error.

My larger pieces take between one to two months to complete. First, I start sketching my idea, then I usually make a small clay model. By now I have chosen which wood is most suited, taking into consideration colour, grain and workability. My carvings are hand carved, resulting in a unique one-of-a-kind piece.

My aim is to continue producing a wide variety of fine quality woodcraft and be available for commission work.

To view more of my work visit skodnikwoodcarving.com.au or contact me by email sandra@
skodnikwoodcarving.com.au

Becoming a studio furniture maker has been my lifelong journey. My studio is in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado where I make one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture for individuals. I work with solid wood and use traditional construction and joinery. I strive to find the essence of an object and often decorate with pattern and texture. I don't sell from a catalogue - when a client commissions a piece of furniture they actually buy a piece of my art. Each piece is created and made specifically for the person and their environment.

What I love about my work is how it transforms people's homes and as a result their attitude about their homes and themselves. Designing furniture for a particular space is like clothing is to a person's image. In addition, I am fulfilling who I am as I have known since the age of four that creating art was what I was going to do.

The 'Women in Woodworking' and 'Colorado Women's Woodworking Guild' (at the time the only all-women guild in the country) websites encouraged me to seriously look into furniture making. I went to college to learn proper woodworking and showed my student work at a local studio tour. My first commission resulted from that tour and more commissions the following year from the show. Today I'm honored to be published in Fine Woodworking's "Design Book Eight", Lark Books "500 Tables" and Schiffer Publishing "Studio Furniture."

People are always asking me what is my style. It's what I'm currently working on. I'm too much of an idea person to do the same thing over and over again. I like designing benches because they have a large area for decoration. I love tables because the legs can have personality and be just about anything. Before I made my first mortise and tenon, I started carving. I think it was a starting point for me because it was an extension of being a painter. As I progressed, shape became more of a focus. I'm always striving to make a piece that incorporates what I feel is important at the time and what the client likes and keep it simple. Just as important as the right design is the quality of the construction. A piece has to look and feel right but have good bones.

Website: trailmixstudio.com/

Kate Taylor is a professional woodworker living outside Boston. She has a one-woman business (Kate Taylor Creative Woodworking) where she makes everything from boxes to built-ins. Most of her work is commissioned, although she also has a shop online, and she occasionally has work in local galleries.

Kate also loves to teach and runs woodworking classes through adult ed. programs as well as in her shop. She has one group of students who have been coming to her shop for over three years. Recently she has started a new website about making boxes where she combines her love of woodworking, teaching and writing.

She can be reached at kate@wooden-box-maker.com.

Myriam Sosa is an artisan, journalist and teacher in Caracas, Venezuela. Her artistic development began with the formal study of graphic design at the Institute of Design Perera and visual arts at the School Cristobal Rojas. She is dedicated to the craft of the wooden toy and consolidated Cositas Wood Workshop, where handmade wooden toys of original designs are made with great care and quality and sold directly to customers.

Myriam has taken many woodworking workshops, on making toys and other subjects, with the purpose of acquiring the necessary skills. Her passion for books led her to form a fund that supports a library of the craft with over 60 titles, and she loves to share her knowledge with those who want to join the profession. She has taught courses in her studio several times and works in a training program for young people wishing to learn the craft, with a sense of redemption of local traditions. Together with other craftspeople of various specialties from Caracas, she formed Crafts Caracas and developed a new line of items with local identity.

As a journalist, since 2005, Myriam has supported the craft work in Venezeula, mainly in the cultural weekly TodosAdentro, which has national circulation in Venezuela. She also works on craft exhibitions.

Visit: www.arteeimagen.com.ve or Email: cositasdemadera@hotmail.com.

Susan Maxson is the owner of Maxson Designs located at 235 Main Street in Allenspark, Colorado. She has been a professional woodworker for more than 30 years. In addition to her smaller functional and decorative pieces, she has produced large scale commercial and private commissions. The majority of her work is crafted in oak, maple, walnut and cherry. She also has many fine examples of exotic wood inlaid pieces at her studio. Email Susan@MaxsonDesigns.com

I currently live in the Santa Cruz Mountains in California. I've been working professionally as a wood sculptor since 1995. I recycle dead trees into art for parks, religious centers and private commissions, specializing in large figurative work. I also have been making hand-bound books with hand-carved wooden covers and create furniture from hollow logs and wood with strange natural anomalies.

This blog has many photos of my sculpture and the next one has many of my wooden books: woodenbooks.blogspot.com. I can be reached by e-mail at: byates33@hotmail.com.

I have been making hand carved wooden Christmas Ornaments for many years. Each piece is a hand carved and handpainted limited edition figure, carved out of balsa wood from my original design, by my hand in New Jersey. I sell to many wonderful shops around the country. My web address is www.bccdesign.net.

My name is Angela Polglaze.
I am an award winning chainsaw sculptor from Australia of some international reknown.

I have been carving using primarily a chainsaw for about 12 years now, and this incredible artform has totally eclipsed my life. This artform is fast and exciting and challenging and I just love every second of what I do. For the past seven years, I have been traveling extensively across the world, with no end in sight, and I now couldn't imagine my life any other way.

Although I like to think that "Anything Is Possible", and will put my hand to just about anything, my signature pieces are my series of girl carvings that collectively are known as "Cheesy Chicks" (see website).

My name is Kathy and I live on the coast of Oregon. I have been doing Intarsia for 5 years now. I love to challenge myself with new projects and love the attention to detail that it takes to create each piece of art. I welcome commissions on special pieces made just for you. My work can be viewed at http://www.katcatintarsia.com and my EMail address is katcat4@juno.com.

Hi, my name is Sylvia Cook. I am a chainsaw carver. I make totem poles and animal carvings. I have been carving for seven years, and I have been on a few TV shows and published in creative woodworks and crafts magazines and also about 20 newspapers all over the country. I like to carve cedar logs that have already been taken down for some reason: I do not cut trees down just to carve; that would be sinful . I also use sanders and grinders for the details and I like to paint my carvings. Some carvers like the natural wood grains, but I like colors. I travel all over the country to carve totem poles for golf courses, summer camps, restaurants, bait shops, mini golf course and amusement parks. Sylvia Cook can be reached by email at WeMakeTotemPoles@aol.com or by visiting her web site.

My education and early work background are in manufacturing and mechanical engineering. I found myself seeking more creative work that also involved a hands on, tangible expression. Marquetry has been the perfect medium for me. It allows me to work with beautiful wood varieties and the soothing natural world of mountain scenery.

My selection of hand made classic North American landscapes distinguish themselves from other marquetry you may have seen. The colors are bright, strong, crisp and all natural. Exotic woods are used to create these rich textures and vibrant colors - not dyes! In several of the night scenes, a special touch has been added - small brass discs inserted in the night sky to represent stars and/or constellations.

Each of these charming scenes is designed and produced using a fascinating selection of wood varieties from around the world. Wood lovers can try their hand at identifying them and then refer to the list on the back of each framed scene to see how many they can name. The Panorama series is a unique collection of larger sceneries. Each one is distinctly mounted in it's own special stepped, angled frame.

My hope is that my sceneries will be a reminder of the spectacular beauty of the natural world and bring a soothing influence into your home.

Lynne Buss can be reached by e-mail at lynne@lynnebuss.com or by visiting her website

I am a 46 year old mother of 4, grandmother of 6 and I am a nurse full time. I live in South Texas, USA. My hobbies are spending time with family and friends, remodeling my home and woodworking. I like to make furniture and things, toys for my grandchildren.

Here are the latest things have made for my granddaughter's second birthday. I found a free pattern for the cradle on the Internet and built the high chair from a picture I saw. I think she will get many years of joy as will I just watching her.

Janel Jacobson has made a name for herself in the rarefied world of netsuke collectors. As a master carver of netsuke and ojime, her work has in shows and exhibitions across the country.

Janel Jacobson can be reached by e-mail at janel@janeljacobson.com or by visiting her web site

Click here for a complete article on Janel Jacobson.

Jane Spangenberg has developed her own techniques in marquetry -- the art of combining different veneer pieces to form pictures or patterns -- and teaches many classes in the Atlanta area.

Jane Spangenberg can be reached by e-mail at jane@gtcreations.com or by visiting her web site

Click here for the complete article about Jane Spangenberg.

Cindy Vargas's work is sculptural, using form and gesture to create unique, evocative pieces. She often combines wood with hand-dyed, hand-printed textiles, such as the impressive Cabinet, mahogany and silk.

Cindy Vargas may be reached by e-mail at Cvargasfurniture@cs.com or by phone at (626) 676-7841.

Click here for the complete article about Cindy Vargas.