Every carving starts as a single block of cedar and ends up here, one cut and one detail at a time. Here’s a look at that process, start to finish, from a real barn owl taking shape in the workshop.
It starts with a chainsaw and a single block of cedar, then an angle grinder to refine the shape. There’s no template and no mould – the stance, the proportions, the curve of the head, is all worked out freehand, straight from the log.
A smaller, precision carving bar takes over for the feathers – each line cut freehand, layer over layer, to build up the texture across the wings and body.
This is where the hours go. Every feather edge is worked in by hand with rotary files and burrs – slow, careful, and impossible to rush. It’s this stage that gives each carving its character.
The eyes and face are always last – it’s the point a block of shaped wood turns into a bear, an owl, a hare. From here it’s a final pass over every surface, checking the detail holds up from every angle.
Once the carving is complete, it’s treated with a wood protector and exterior varnish so it can live outdoors year-round. The natural grain and character of the cedar is always left to show through – no two pieces ever come out quite the same.
Every carving on this site is made by hand by Andrew, working from a workshop in Longhope, in the Forest of Dean – no templates, no moulds, just a chainsaw, a steady hand and years of practice.
Each piece takes anywhere from a day to a week or more, depending on size and detail, and no two ever come out quite the same.
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