The beautiful timber utensils & presentation boards currently in-store
are all hand-carved in Melbourne by Paul of Elk Craft Studio…
& are made exclusively for falling for florin
Paul has worked with timber for over 20 years & enjoys working in the traditional Swedish style. After seeing tradtional wooden-ware at the Skansen Museum in Stockholm several year ago, Paul purchased his first Swedish carving knives which he uses to hand-carve all of the pieces you'll find in the store.
'I like the immediacy of carving greenwood using traditional Swedish carving knives to shape and finish my work. I have dozens of patterns, but no two pieces are the same. To a large extent, the individual piece of wood dictates the final shape and I find that fascinating.'
Most of the timber Paul uses is sourced from friends & family who have trees removed from their gardens - namely birch and fruit. Reclaimed wood is also a favourite & on occasion Paul uses sustainable plantation-timber grown in Australia.
'Wooden utensils grow on trees. They look great, work well, are heat resistant, renewable and biodegradable. Why would you buy plastic?'
There is a strong Scandinavian feel to Elk Craft's style, which I asked Paul about.
'I am inspired by traditional crafts and the resourcefulness of previous generations who could make beautiful objects from local materials using tools they made themselves. In recent years, I've become acquainted with the Slöjd movement and craft traditions of Scandanavia. During my trips to Sweden, Denmark and Norway I've been privileged to see collections of traditional crafts and have learned about modern Scandinavian craftsmen which continue to inspire me.'
Paul also makes some pretty amazing custom furniture. When the furniture side of his wood-making skills got serious, he studied at the Coles School of Woodcraft, which is now Melbourne School of Fine Woodworking.
Elk Craft is currently a side hobby for Paul… I can only imagine the beautiful pieces he'll be creating if, and when, it becomes a full time venture!
you can find the full range of Elk Craft timber-ware in the online store…
keep an eye out for new pieces by following on instagram & facebook !
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