The Modern Woodcarver

Millions of views, recognizable characters, and a return to creativity during a difficult time. In this episode of The Modern Woodcarver Podcast, Michael Gurrado sits down with Isaac Middlemiss, “The Woodcarving Man,” to explore how a childhood hobby became an outlet for anxiety and depression—and eventually reached a worldwide audience.

Isaac shares his journey from whittling sticks as a kid to rediscovering carving in his 30s. He reflects on his brother Jim’s encouragement and how carving a Cerberus helped him reconnect with making art. We also explore his pop-culture characters, his use of wood burning, and why his distinctive style resonates with carvers and people discovering the craft for the first time.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why consistency matters more than perfection

• How pop-culture carvings can introduce new audiences to woodcarving

• Handling negative comments and recognizing constructive criticism

• Navigating copying, inspiration, and sharing original work online

• Selling through art drops and building a presence across social platforms

• Keeping hands-on creativity alive in an increasingly automated world

Isaac also talks about the beginner carving kit he’s developing with Sharky Forge Steel Tools and a giveaway for listeners.

Whether you’re an experienced carver or still waiting to feel “good enough” to start, Isaac offers a simple reminder: keep showing up, keep creating, and recognize that your work can make a difference to someone else.

Support The Modern Woodcarver Podcast

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Tiny carvings. Incredible detail. Carver Sean Syman joins The Modern Woodcarver Podcast to explore the art of netsuke and his approach to carving wood, bone, and antler.

In this episode, host Michael Gurrado talks with Sean about his creative journey—from early Pokémon carvings and guitar-making scraps to intricate, netsuke-inspired animal figures. Sean shares how moving from New Zealand to Canada helped spark his interest in carving, how his choice of materials has evolved, and why strong form matters long before the finishing details.

We discuss:

• Carving basswood, mahogany, walnut, and boxwood—and how working with bone and antler differs
• The tiny tools behind his detailed work, including a micromotor, gravers, scrapers, and custom tools
• His interest in combining animals with everyday objects such as teacups, books, barrels, and boats
• Using center lines, proportion checks, and negative space to develop a stronger carving
• The patience behind pieces that can take 100 hours to complete
• What draws him to netsuke and how the carving community has helped shape his work

Whether you enjoy woodcarving, miniature sculpture, animal carving, or experimenting with different materials, Sean offers a thoughtful look at the decisions behind every small piece.

What’s the smallest carving you’ve ever made? Let us know in the comments.

Subscribe to The Modern Woodcarver for more conversations with the people behind the craft.

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#Woodcarving #Netsuke #TheModernWoodcarver

Woodcarving doesn’t have to be complicated. In this episode of The Modern Woodcarver Podcast, Michael Gurrado sits down with Aaron Neumayer of Flame and Steel Woodworks to talk about simple tools, approachable projects, and finding your own carving style.

Aaron shares how his journey began with a soap carving in Cub Scouts and grew into a passion for creating whimsical gnomes, pumpkins, Santas, and characters with ridiculous hats. From whittling in the back of his truck to sharing tutorials on YouTube, his approach centers on making carving feel fun and achievable.

We discuss pocket knives versus dedicated carving knives, keeping tools sharp, and how paint, wood burning, and texture bring a simple carving to life. We also compare craft show experiences, including what sells, batch painting, ornaments, and how too many choices can overwhelm customers.

Whether you’re picking up a knife for the first time or looking for fresh inspiration, join us for a conversation about keeping woodcarving simple and enjoying the process.

FOLLOW AARON — FLAME AND STEEL WOODWORKS

Instagram: @flame_and_steel_woodworks
YouTube: @flameandsteelwoodworks
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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Using these links supports The Modern Woodcarver at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

FOLLOW & SUPPORT

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From whittling around campfires as a park ranger to carving 60–70 pieces a year, Ryan Newsome shares how practice, experimentation, and community have shaped his woodcarving journey.

In this episode of The Modern Woodcarver Podcast, Michael Gurrado talks with Ryan about caricature carving, finding tools that fit your hand, and learning to take risks with bolder cuts. Ryan also explains how he uses AI to turn ideas into carving references while keeping the carving process hands-on.

We discuss:

• Why Ryan enjoys the creative freedom of caricature carving

• His go-to knives and favorite Badger State Blades profiles

• Building skills through carving heads, story sticks, and quick challenges

• Taking your time, experimenting, and learning from mistakes

• Using AI as a tool for developing designs

• Starting a local carving community through a grant-funded class

• Carvers for a Cause and using woodcarving to help others

Along the way, we talk about the Charlotte Wood Carving Showcase, carving wherever you can, sharpening, cluttered benches, and the temptation to buy just one more tool.

Whether you’re picking up your first carving knife or have been carving for years, join us for a conversation about creativity, community, and enjoying the next block of wood.

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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Using these links supports The Modern Woodcarver at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

FOLLOW & SUPPORT

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Support The Modern Woodcarver on Patreon:
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How does a street performer in Scotland find his way to woodcarving? In this episode of The Modern Woodcarver, I talk with Rick Giujussa of Scarecrow Woodcrafts about the winter that introduced him to carving and the creative path that followed.

Rick shares what draws him to Scandinavian flat-plane carving, how working with a knife and a block of wood helps him slow down, and why having too many creative options can make it harder to focus. We also talk about spoon carving, relief work, miniature scenes, and the challenge of balancing creative work with multiple jobs.

Our conversation moves beyond the workshop, too. Rick discusses bringing carving into community spaces, including craft nights and youth support work, and what making things by hand has meant for his own well-being.

If you carve, make things, or feel pulled in a dozen directions by what you see online, I think you’ll connect with Rick’s story.

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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Using these links supports The Modern Woodcarver at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

FOLLOW & SUPPORT

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#Woodcarving #FlatPlaneCarving #TheModernWoodcarver

Most woodcarvers focus on details too early. Master woodcarver Vic Hood explains why strong form, proportion, and movement must come first—and how getting them right can dramatically improve your carvings.

In this episode of The Modern Woodcarver Podcast, host Michael Gurrado sits down with Vic Hood, a nationally recognized woodcarver, instructor, and author known for his realistic faces, large-scale busts, and mastery of mallet carving.

Vic shares how two “terrible” attempts at carving a cigar-store figure unexpectedly launched a career that has kept his woodcarving classes full for more than 32 years. He also explains why a technically detailed carving can still feel wrong—and what separates a good carving from a great one.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why form matters more than detail in realistic woodcarving
• Vic’s “female faces are Y’s, men are T’s” approach to carving believable heads
• How Fibonacci proportions and a dedicated ruler improve visual balance
• Why butternut is Vic’s preferred wood for fine details and mallet work
• How dominant lines create movement and guide the viewer’s eye
• Why Vic rarely paints his finished carvings
• How he prices artwork using a personal “tipping point”
• Why some carvings take a year while others are completed in days
• The difference between a technically accurate carving and one that feels right
• Why repetition and focused practice matter more than natural talent

Vic also discusses his unusual journey through historic-building restoration, archaeology, sculpture, and teaching. He reflects on lessons learned from influential carvers such as Larry Rogers, John Burke, and Harold Enlow—and gives us a glimpse inside a studio filled with hundreds of pieces representing a lifetime of experimentation and refinement.

Vic Hood is the author of “Carving Found Wood,” “Extreme Pumpkin Carving,” and his newest book, “From Good to Great in Wood Carving.”

If you want to carve more realistic faces, improve your proportions, strengthen the form of your carvings, or understand why a piece sometimes looks “off” despite having plenty of detail, this conversation is for you.

What do you focus on first when you carve: form or detail? Let me know in the comments.

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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Using these links helps support The Modern Woodcarver Podcast at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!

FOLLOW & SUPPORT

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Support The Modern Woodcarver on Patreon:
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#Woodcarving #WoodSculpture #TheModernWoodcarver

Bob Hershey has spent decades developing his distinctive approach to woodcarving. In this episode, Bob shares the lessons he has learned through years of carving, taking classes, experimenting with new techniques, and refusing to be limited by the standard way of doing things.

We discuss Bob’s early years of learning to carve from books, long before YouTube and online tutorials made information readily available. He explains how studying with accomplished carvers helped shape his work and why taking classes can save carvers years of trying to figure everything out alone.

Bob also shares:

• Why he does most of his carving with a mallet and chisels

• The mallet technique he learned from Vic Hood

• How carvers such as Vic Hood, Dave Sabol, and Desiree Hajny influenced his work

• Why he paints directly on bare wood using oils and stains

• How he creates depth and vibrant color in his finished carvings

• Why highlighting, shading, and antiquing should be used selectively

• Whether roughouts help beginners or hold back their creativity

• Why the best woodcarvers never stop learning

Bob Hershey is a Lancaster County woodcarver known for his expressive animal caricatures, custom bases, and unconventional oil-painting techniques. His work reflects a lifetime of experimentation, education, and dedication to the craft.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced carver, Bob offers an honest and practical perspective on developing your skills, finding your own style, and continuing to grow as an artist.

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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Using these links helps support The Modern Woodcarver Podcast at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!

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What makes a character carving unforgettable? It isn’t just a bigger backpack or a crazier stack of gear—it’s the story built into every detail.

In this episode of The Modern Woodcarver Podcast, I sit down with Matt Frederick of Ravenbot Workshop to explore how he developed his signature style of whimsical backpack gnomes loaded with crates, camp stoves, coolers, and towering piles of gear.

Matt shares how his woodcarving journey began five years ago with a simple chip-carved Easter gift and quickly became an obsession. We talk about how he develops his ideas, why he draws directly on the block, and how careful planning keeps him from cutting away the details that bring a carving to life.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• How Matt creates height, tension, and visual balance without losing the story

• Why orange highlighters, negative space, and block placement can save a carving

• How he assembles, glues, and sometimes completely rethinks a piece mid-carve

• How wood burning, dry brushing, washes, and liner work create depth and clean color breaks

• The simple tool setup he uses and why he reshapes knives and gouges to fit his hand

• What sharpening, stropping, and knowing when to step away can do for your carving

Matt also discusses his experience at the Rocky Mountain Carvers Roundup and the critiques that changed how he approaches bases, faces, and expressive “happy eyes.”

Whether you enjoy character carving, practical workshop advice, or hearing how other artists develop their style, this episode is packed with useful ideas you can bring to your next block of wood.

FOLLOW MATT FREDERICK

Creative Ops:
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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Using these links helps support The Modern Woodcarver Podcast at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!

FOLLOW GURRADO WOODWORKS & THE MODERN WOODCARVER PODCAST

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26 Years of Character Carving Lessons with Jim Hiser

Character carving is a craft built on years of practice, observation, and learning when to follow the rules—and when to break them.

In this episode of The Modern Woodcarver Podcast, I sit down with Jim Hiser, longtime character carver, instructor, rough-out maker, and member of the Caricature Carvers of America (CCA).

With 26 years of experience, Jim shares the lessons he's learned along the way and the journey that took him from furniture and cabinet work to becoming deeply involved in the world of character carving.

We talk about the class that changed the direction of his carving, the mentors who influenced him, and why even experienced carvers should never stop learning.

Jim also shares his thoughts on:

• Using rough-outs vs. starting from cutouts or your own designs

• Understanding anatomy, proportions, posture, and body language in caricature

• Developing your own style as a character carver

• Using clay and sketches to work through ideas before carving

• Knives, tools, sharpening, and finding what works for you

• Teaching woodcarving and helping newer carvers improve

• What the CCA looks for in potential members

• How the CCA promotes and preserves character carving

• Keeping woodcarving enjoyable without turning your hobby into a grind

Whether you're new to character carving or you've been carving for years, Jim offers plenty of practical advice and perspective gained from more than two decades behind the knife.

If you enjoy conversations with woodcarvers, artists, toolmakers, and the people helping keep the craft alive, subscribe to the channel and join us for future episodes.

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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Using these links helps support The Modern Woodcarver Podcast at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!

https://linktr.ee/gurradowoodworks

https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheModernWoodcarver

#Woodcarving #CharacterCarving #JimHiser #CaricatureCarving #TheModernWoodcarver

TOOLS I USE — AFFILIATE LINKSFOLLOW GURRADO WOODWORKS & THE MODERN WOODCARVER PODCAST

Doug Linker has inspired thousands of woodcarvers, but his journey into becoming one of the most recognizable voices in online woodcarving happened almost by accident—one knife, one video, and a genuine desire to share what he was learning along the way.

In this episode of The Modern Woodcarver Podcast, Michael Gurrado sits down with Doug Linker to talk about his journey from bushcraft and discovering woodcarving through Gene Messer to building an enormous library of tutorials that has helped introduce countless people to the craft.

Doug shares how his earliest carving videos were actually intended for the bushcraft community, why he never set out to become a woodcarving teacher, and how simply trying to help others eventually grew into something much bigger.

The conversation also goes beyond the carvings and tutorials. Doug talks openly about the realities of creating content online—the pressure of algorithms, dealing with trolls, burnout, stepping away, and ultimately finding a way to continue creating on his own terms.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT:

• How Doug went from bushcraft and online carving challenges to becoming a major part of the online woodcarving community

• Discovering woodcarving through Gene Messer and the early days of learning the craft

• Why Doug believes the best tutorials come from humility rather than pretending to know everything

• Why learning to properly sharpen a knife may be one of the most important skills for a new woodcarver

• What flat-plane carving means to Doug and why he is drawn to larger, facet-heavy figures

• The evolution of his YouTube channel and his approach to teaching

• Burnout, trolls, algorithms, and the less-visible side of being a content creator

• Why Doug continues to carve, teach, experiment, and share his work after all these years

Whether you've followed Doug Linker for years, discovered woodcarving through one of his videos, or are just beginning your own carving journey, this episode offers a look at the person and philosophy behind the tutorials that have influenced so many woodcarvers.

FIND MORE FROM DOUG LINKER

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@dougLinker

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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Using these links helps support The Modern Woodcarver Podcast at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!

FOLLOW GURRADO WOODWORKS & THE MODERN WOODCARVER PODCAST

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#woodcarving #woodcarver #douglinker #whittling #themodernwoodcarverpodcast