The magic moment of carving a spoon
There is a moment when carving a spoon is truly magical. Your hands hold a piece of wood and a sharp blade. You find out, shaving by shaving, how these work together, what happens if you cut like this or if you move your body like that. Slowly and surely, you are creating a functional and beautiful object. Somewhere in that, a spark of joy and creativity will happen. It’s that kind of quiet thrill and delight of being absorbed in doing something with your own hands.
Samuel Alexander, a self-taught green wood carver, craft author and teacher, in his recently launched first book “The Green Wood Carver: Slow Woodcraft for Beginners” says, ‘Time is locked into the wood you carve, stamped within the grain and growth rings.’ When making a spoon, we are embracing time and ancestry, a very old collaboration of hands and wood, that can still reveal something new. Each spoon created by each different person will be unique. But this magical moment will be shared by everyone.
The Spooncarving for Beginners’ course in Cerdeira is the perfect invitation to go in search of that spark. Surrounded by natural beauty, we will take advantage of Cerdeira's surroundings to discover a little more about its trees, how they behave, and which ones are suitable for working with. From there, the adventure begins. Spoons for cooking, eating, serving, decorated or carved, the creative potential is endless.
Join us from February 21st to 22nd 2026 and come and experience the magic of carving spoons by hand!
Written by instructor Ana Gomes, one of the teachers of the spooncarving workshop.
Join us in February 2026 and register here