Course Info

Instruction will cover the safe and effective use of traditional hand tools while working with green wood (recently cut wood that still maintains its moisture), tool sharpening, spoon designs and considerations, wood selection, how to “read” wood grain, finishes, and how to take care of wooden kitchen utensils.

There will be demonstrations of using carving hatchets, and the opportunity for first-hand experience for those who wish to experiment.

Students should count on returning home with at least two finished spoons, some in-progress spoons, and a plethora of knowledge about the diverse and romantic world of Woodcraft.

Locally curated cuisine will be available on-site to participants, with Vegan and Vegetarian Options available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Instructor

Rodney W. Hopkins discovered wood carving at his grandfather’s side as a young boy, and 45+ years later he is still enamored with the craft. Rodney has been teaching Wood Carving at the John C. Folk School for over 20 years. He is also Director of the ISDA Learning School, Manager of the ISDA Wood Shop, and Owner of Dark Hollow Woodworking.

He has carved more one-of-a-kind spoons and bowls than he can recall—ranging from basic, elegant, and useful, to ornate and sculptural; from ½ inch long to 4 feet tall.

He also carves wooden chains and other “whimseys”, canes, sculpture, relief carvings, signs, and more.

Rodney has been teaching folks how to carve wood for over 20 years, and even experienced woodworkers leave his classes having learned new techniques and perspectives, and often with a new appreciation for their medium.

Location

Students will have the opportunity to stay in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, at the Sonoran Desert Inn and Conference Center, which has been reimagined from its beginnings as the area’s historic elementary school and transformed into a 25-room boutique hotel.

The Sonoran Desert Inn Campus includes a Community Kitchen, Mercantile and Art-Market, Pomegranate Orchard, and the reknowned ‘Desert Smells Like Rain’ Garden. We are also home to the International Sonoran Desert Alliance’s Community Wood Shop and Clay Studio.

Property-adjacent, you will find Curley Coffee, Ajo Pie and Artist-Studios including Suzy W. Designs (Copper and Metal Jewelry) and the Weaving Studio—Fiber Arts Resource Center.

Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge is minutes away and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a 30-minute drive South—and on the way to Puerto Peñasco Beach in Sonora, Mexico.