Spoon Carving - Art and Tradition
“Think how many times a day you use a spoon.” This thought-provoking introduction from Barn the Spoon in his book Spon: A Guide to Spooncarving and the New Wood Culture invites us to reflect on the significance of this simple, everyday tool. From our first experiences as children using a spoon to its indispensable role in stirring our morning coffee, we can agree on the importance and presence of this tool in our daily lives.
Barn challenges us to consider “how much thought goes into creating something so small and apparently insubstantial as a good wooden spoon.” These small functional sculptures remind us of the beauty inherent in functional objects. Carving spoons from green wood is a practice deeply rooted in heritage, connecting us to the rhythm of nature and the beauty of manual labor. This ancient craft transcends technique; it allows us to reconnect with our past and surroundings.
Using freshly cut, green wood—soft and fragrant—invites a respectful and patient approach. Each spoon begins as a block, transforming through the act of carving into a unique piece, that possesses form and function. With just a few hand tools, like knives and gouges, each cut becomes deliberate and intentional, creating a rhythm that feels meditative. It’s a practice that highlights our capacity to create through basic tools while encouraging a deep respect for the material and nature.
Barn elaborates on the importance of green wood: “A live tree is 50 percent water, and green wood differs from this only in so far as it is cut down, so dead, but it is still wet. Knives and axes are the key tools for the green woodworker, as they allow us to efficiently work ‘wet’ wood into spoons, whereas dry or ‘seasoned’ planks—where the water levels within the wood have reached equilibrium with their environment—tend to be worked with more industrial tools (...) Green woodworking is sympathetic to both the environment and materials, and quite separate from the industrialized aspects of wood processing which only distances the individual from the tree. Green woodworkers often cut the wood themselves, or source it from tree surgeons, and the relationship we build, and the understanding of woodland practice which we acquire, has a big impact on the way we think about making spoons.”
In each piece, the wood's natural grain influences the design, guiding the maker’s hand in ways that machinery cannot replicate. No two spoons are alike; each one is unique, carrying the subtle marks of the tree it came from and that tell a story of time and environment.
The techniques passed down through generations preserve a deep knowledge of wood’s behavior—how green wood flexes under pressure, how it dries, and how certain types of wood lend themselves to particular uses or forms. Today, artisans continue to honor these inherited methods, participating in a shared lineage of craftsmanship. Each carved spoon, therefore, becomes more than a functional object.
Cerdeira’s surroundings provide all the materials needed to begin to carve spoons — a perfect and vast space to discover the right sources, tools, and inspiration for our creations while honoring the material and this craft tradition. Each spoon carved here will surely find a place in participants' daily lives, enriching their routines with handmade beauty.
This text includes excerpts from the book Spon by Barn the Spoon, whose approach to spoon carving in green wood invites us to slow down, embrace simplicity, and find meaning in the quiet art of transformation.
Join us for our Spoon Carving Course.
An immersive journey guided by Ana Gomes & Silvio Soares at Cerdeira - Home for Creativity.