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Artist > Linda Nathan

Media > Tablewares

I like to whittle. I write for a living as well, and it’s the same there too, taking away the words that aren’t needed and shaping text. Crafting words and wood, that’s what I do.

Visually, the aim with small 3D forms is to create lines that flow from all viewpoints and surfaces that look and feel good to touch. Repetition – carving forms over and over again (with variations!) – suits me as well. You could call it mindfulness, but for me carving spoons and other domestic utensils is a kind of refuge, an absorbing process that takes me to an enjoyable zone of creativity.

I’ve had a lifelong professional connection to woodworking, writing about the craft, the people who undertake it, and the medium of wood itself. In my day job, I’m the editor of Australian Wood Review, a magazine dedicated to fine woodworking and wood art. In that role, I’ve also had the opportunity to conceive awards programs and to curate exhibitions.

For me, making things from wood is a natural and highly pleasurable part of my everyday life.