By Teresa Fleming
flemingt17@grinnell.edu
Students will spend a full day learning how to carve spoons in the latest in a series of wooden cutlery workshops that have been sponsored by the College this Saturday, Feb. 18. The workshop, which focuses on local materials and traditional knife strokes, will be hosted by expert woodworker Fred Livesay.
Livesay, a Saint Paul native, began carving spoons at the age of seven and claims a broad range of experiences working as a wheelwright and carriage builder. His interest in spoons developed out of his experience with Scandinavian folk art, gained studying in Sweden and Milan.
In addition to sharing the material skills of his craft, Livesay will reflect on the evolving role of handcrafts in the digital age and his experience founding a folk arts school. Students will spend the day crafting a spoon made of wood harvested from campus trees. But a press release from the College warned that participants may experience consequences lasting long beyond the weekend: “Spoon carving has been called the gateway drug to woodworking. Once you experience the satisfaction of crafting something beautiful and useful, you may never stop.”
While participants in the workshop were required to sign up last Monday, all community members are welcome to stop by and observe the activities this Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Bucksbaum room 32.
