Author Archives: Dave Fisher

Just Do the Next Thing

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Dave Fisher

I just finished a hen bowl from black walnut. I’ve made a bunch of these hen/chicken/fowl-inspired bowls over the years. No two of them have been quite the same. Every time I start one I have some uncertainty about how … Continue reading →

Posted in bird bowls, carving, layout, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , | 18 Comments

Mallets

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Dave Fisher

Mallets are indispensable, and are made principally from the wood of the apple tree, plum tree, beech, and elm. Paul N. Hasluck, Manual of Traditional Woodcarving (1911) If you’re going to carve, you should have a mullet mallet. Sometimes they’re … Continue reading →

Posted in photography, quotes and excerpts, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 29 Comments

Bird Brain Offers New Class

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Dave Fisher

I’ve got birds on my brain. They’ve been fluttering about in the cold bare branches just outside my shop window while I carve bowls inspired by them, inside. I’ve carved a lot of bird bowls over the years. Rather than … Continue reading →

Posted in bird bowls, classes, Uncategorized | Tagged | 8 Comments

A New Tree Design

Posted on January 28, 2025 by Dave Fisher

With about six more weeks until my March class at Peter Galbert Workshops, I’ve designed an alternate pattern for the handles of the bowls we’ll be carving. We’ll practice the methods for both designs, and students will have the option … Continue reading →

Posted in classes, paint, patterns, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Adze Owner’s Manual

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Dave Fisher

This idea was sparked a few months ago when I restored an adze. The owner wanted a new handle and some edge reshaping. The head was made by Hans Karlsson. The owner purchased it a couple decades ago from Country … Continue reading →

Posted in adze, classes, publications, sketch, tools, Uncategorized, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 32 Comments

Savoring Snow and Announcing a Spring Opening

Posted on January 15, 2025 by Dave Fisher

We’re actually having a winter this year. No grass in sight for weeks, and that’s fine with me. I like how it transforms everything. We walk familiar trails with fresh eyes. Snow seems to defy gravity. Even around the camp … Continue reading →

Posted in classes, nature, Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

First bowl of 2025

Posted on January 2, 2025 by Dave Fisher

This is the bowl I was carving in a post in early November. It was nice to carve 2025 on the foot. 4s aren’t as interesting to carve. I decided to do a small painted scene on the foot of … Continue reading →

Posted in paint, trees, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged | 7 Comments

A Little Sip to Bring in the New Year

Posted on December 31, 2024 by Dave Fisher

I just finished this little cherry whiskey cup (or kuksa or whatever you want to call it) requested by a friend. It holds about four ounces, more than enough to toast the new year. After making some big bowls recently, … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, cherry, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

Fresh December Snow

Posted on December 22, 2024 by Dave Fisher

The perfect surface goneCriss-crossed and written onWhere the wild creatures rangedWhile the moon rose and shone. May Sarton, “December Moon” from Coming Into Eighty Looks like it will be a white Christmas here this year. The bird tracks in the … Continue reading →

Posted in nature, quotes and excerpts, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Finishing the Big Round Walnut Bowl

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Dave Fisher

About a month ago I wrote a post about laying out this walnut bowl to account for the shrinking that would come with drying. Well, I got lucky and it dried pretty close to a circle, but there was still … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, finishing/oiling, layout, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , | 26 Comments