Wood Art in Val Gardena is something special.

Yesterday I met a designer called Danielle Proud who gave me a slice of wood carved from a branch from her garden,. She taught me how to make a transfer on of it and  I made my very own wooden coaster. Danielle spoke about how this wood had come form her garden and there was something so lovely about making items sourced from her home and from her land.

 

I really like this idea of making items out of materials to hand particularly wood. I have long loved wooden toys too, they are both classy and classic and they look very beautiful and last a very long time. They look more earthy and traditional too than their plastic counterparts. We used to have a wooden rocking horse which I just adored and mum would polish him until he shone.

Val Gardena in  Italy is a valley famous for its wood art tradition, for the talented wood artisans that work and live there and their woodcarvings.

 

The tradition of wood carving in Val Gardena began when farmers started producing wooden toys and utensils during the long cold winters. The peasants would sell the items at spring markets. Over the years woodcarvers increased in talent and began to make  high quality wooden items. Their are now tw0 wood art school is Val Gardena and it is best known for its woodcarvings which are now also sold online

 

 

I love this story of how people used material local , ready available and free to  hone their craft until great sophisticated art skills were developed.

Aren’t they fabulous?

Wood is such a wonderful material. If you are ever holidaying in the Dolomites this would be a marvellous place to visit. But if you aren’t you can see and buy these inspired wood carvings online,