Bowl Carving – Mike Craig
Date: 12 June 2026
Price: £110
Maximum number of places: 6
Booking: Contact mcwoodcraftsuk@gmail.com Instagram @mc_woodcrafts
Course Details
On this two-day introduction to the ancient craft of bowl carving you will use traditional hand tools to carve your own bowl from native green timber.
The joy of this traditional craft is that it requires few tools and materials. We will use carving axes and woodcarving knives to shape the outside of the bowl and a selection of gouges and hook knives to hollow the inside.
Safe and effective techniques of using these tools and working with green wood will be developed. Throughout the course a strong emphasis will be placed on safety.
We will learn how to select and split green wood logs for bowl carving, which woods are best for bowl carving and methods for drying, finishing and decorating your work. At the end of the two days, you will leave not only with your own hand carved bowl but also with the knowledge, practical skills and inspiration to continue your green wood carving journey at home.
A good general level of health and physical fitness is required for bowl carving as the majority of the work is undertaken while standing and the carving work can be quite energetic.
Catering:
For all courses, a hearty, healthy lunch is provided (please let your tutor know of any dietary requirements when booking), along with tea, coffee and water. Breakfast and evening meal is self-catered, with firewood and charcoal-based cooking available.
We also provide firewood, brew-kit, washing up and cooking facilities, crockery and cutlery.
Guests should bring; barbecue food or pans for cooking on a fire for breakfast and evening meals.
Facilities:
Facilities include covered workshop spaces, an undercover outdoor cooking set-up, comfortable compost loo and handwashing. A good stone track leads to the parking area within the wood, this is suitable for cars, please keep speed under 10mph.
Tutor Bio
Mike Craig is a West-Yorkshire based green wood carver and coppice worker. Working in sympathy with the natural properties of freshly cut wood, he hand-carves beautiful spoons, bowls and vessels using traditional tools such as axes, gouges and wood-carving knives.
During his career as a Countryside Management and Arboriculture lecturer and tree surveyor, Mike worked with trees and woodland for over 25 years. Ten years ago, he combined that arboricultural knowledge and teaching experience with his love of working with wood and began teaching green woodwork courses in Yorkshire. In his role asThe Spoon Doctor, Mike has taught at numerous craft festivals up and down the country including The Great Scottish Spoon Hoolie and Spoontown.
Mike loves to teach and has a passion for passing on traditional techniques for working with freshly cut green wood.