The Wille Sundqvist and Bill Coperthwaite Slöjd Fellowship is awarded to craftspeople to further deepen the meaning and cultural origins, skills, and connections among those passionate about simple living and handmade objects.
Read more about the origin of the Slöjd Fellowship here.
The inaugural Wille Sundqvist and Bill Coperthwaite Slöjd Fellowship recipient was recommended by Plymouth CRAFT of Plymouth, MA, USA and awarded at Greenwood Fest 2016 to Beth Moen. Nominations are accepted and recipients chosen on a rolling basis, approximately once per year.
Michelle and David Rauenbusch
2025
Cygnet, Tasmania
Michelle and David Rauenbusch have been making spoons, housewares, art and other objects since 1997 using ethically sourced, vintage and recycled green timbers. They offer spoon carving workshops locally and afar and are regular participants in the Lost Trades Fair. Because of their remote location, they make use of digital and social media platforms to extend their reach and share their knowledge and handmade items. Enjoy this feature on Michelle and David from the Gardening Australia series "My Garden Path."
Jan Harm ter Brugge
2023
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Jan is a green woodworking pioneer with over thirty years of experience as a maker, teacher and traveler. He has a background as a product designer and teacher, including at TU Delft (Industrial Design) and the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague. Jan studied woodworking under Wille Sundqvist in Sweden, where he came into contact with the Nordic culture of slöjd. In addition to carving bowls, spoons, and furniture from the fresh wood in his forest, Jan gives lectures and teaches courses at home and abroad.
Owen Thomas
2022
Herefordshire, UK
Owen is a master pole lathe turner, tool maker, spoon carver, and is a full-time green woodworker and teacher. He was mentored by Mike Abbott and Robin Wood and he apprenticed under Barnaby Carder. In addition, he teaches green woodwork as therapy in social care. He is inspired by historical work and contemporary design.
owenthomaswoodcraft.com | Instagram: OwenThomasWoodCraft
Anja Sundberg
2022
Orsa, Dalarna, Sweden
Anja was educated as a slöjder at the premier craft school, Sätergläntan. She is one of Sweden’s most talented woodworkers inspired by traditional work using axes and knives. Her playful and colorful spoons, knives, bowls and figures are well known amongst the slöjd field. She is a frequent and sought after teacher including gatherings such as SpoonFest and Täljfest.
Instagram: sundberganja
Barn Carder
2020
London, UK
London based artisan spoon carver, author, teacher and co-founder of Spoonfest.
Barn (better known as Barn the Spoon) became a full time Spoon carver in 2008, growing a tiny business that started out as some precious knowledge of trees, along with an axe and a knife in his pack. He set himself to carve out an ancient living in a modern world. He now runs a shop and craft school in London UK, as well as an online learning resource Spoonclub. Barn has had the privilege of wonderful teachers, spending the last 25 years sharing the joy of learning woodcraft with teachers, students, peers and friends alike. He enjoys craft in many forms and, like the wonderful people in whose names this award is given, finds himself coming back to the humble Spoon, in which the mystery and mastery of a life well lived reside. Barn believes the world would be a better place if more people had the opportunity to nurture themselves with craft.
Masashi Kutsuwa
2019
Gifu Prefecture, Japan
Masashi is a teacher, author and advocate for the long traditions of Japanese handcraft culture.
- Professor at Gifu Academy of Forest Science and Culture.
- Author of “Van Gogh Chair” (2016), “Green Woodwork” (2019), and “Green Woodwork: Revised Edition” (2021).
- Designer of Origami (folding) shaving horse.
- Organizer of Sajifest (spoon carving event) and courses for green woodwork instructors.
- Co-founder of Green Woodwork Lab that develops and provides tools, material, videos and related items.
- Coordinator of research and support programs for disappearing handicrafts, especially woodworking and blacksmithing.
Web links:
David Fisher
2018
Greenville, PA, USA
"I've been finding inspiration in the woods around my home in Western Pennsylvania since I was a boy, and I'm still playing with wonderful sticks. About 25 years ago, I started carving and exploring traditional woodworking, inspired and guided by the books and work of Wille and Jögge Sundqvist, Peter Follansbee, Drew Langsner, Bengt Lidstrom, Roy Underhill, and Jennie Alexander, among others. I was introduced to, and influenced by, Bill Coperthwaite's philosophy and reverence for handcraft through his book A Handmade Life.
Using traditional edge tools, I carve green logs and branches into bowls, spoons, containers, and other sculptural forms, often enhanced with carved lettering. Nature is a design partner, and I enjoy responding to what each individual bit of tree offers. Especially since 2016, I have taught and demonstrated at various events. The Sundqvist Coperthwaite Fellowship gave me the opportunity to travel to teach and learn in England and Sweden in 2019. I also share my work, techniques, and enthusiasm by writing articles and making videos for Fine Woodworking Magazine and also through my website and blog."
Wood is turner, author and co-founder of Spoonfest.Jane Mickelborough
2017
Pempoulrot, France
Jane is a longtime handcraftswoman most recently specializing in the historic folding spoons of Brittany.
"I have been carving all my life, but I only started carving wooden spoons from green wood about ten years ago.
My husband Peter and I organise an annual green wood working festival where I live in Brittany, NW France. (www.fineslames-petitescuilleres.com) Hopefully this festival will be able to start again in 2022, after a two-year pause.
Although I do different types of green wood-working, I am fascinated by wooden spoons - what appear to be simple, everyday objects are, in fact, very subtle three-dimensional shapes. The variability of the wood itself means that making a beautiful, functional wooden spoon is a real challenge that is never the same twice.
My particular passion is studying the traditional spoons that used to be made in Brittany. These intricate spoons, which were highly decorated and often made to fold, were used at weddings and festivals, where it was usual to bring your own spoon and knife. It has been a fascinating project to start to unpick exactly how these spoons were made and decorated, and I thoroughly enjoy sharing this knowledge as well!"
Beth Moen
2016
Siljansnäs Dalarna, Sweden
Beth has worked with wood for 35 years, both furniture and green wood. She teaches Sloyd and traditional woodcraft at Sätergläntan, Sweden's institute for sloyd and craft. Beth says, "I love and respect the big trees that have grown for ages, before they become my material. I am fascinated with simple tools and what you can do with them. My favorite tool is absolutely the axe, so I am very happy chopping bowls!"
JoJo Wood
2016
UK
JoJo is a second generation green woodworker, who spent her early years traveling the world with her father, meeting craftspeople and amassing woodworking skills, building the perfect foundation for mastering her chosen crafts. Read Nancy Hiller's rich profile of JoJo. (Photo credit Rankin)
Peter Follansbee
Täljfest 2016
Kingston, MA, USA
Follansbee began his training as a woodworker in 1978, learning chairmaking, coopering, basket-making, spoon & bowl carving, timberframing and more. For over twenty years he has specialized in making carved oak furniture based on 17th examples from England and New England.
Jarrod Dahl
Täljfest 2016
Ashland, Wisconsin, USA.
instagram: @jarrod__dahl and @woodspirithandcraft
YouTube: Jarrod Dahl
Jarrod is a full-time craftsperson, teacher, and writer who has worked with wood professionally since 1996. With his wife Jazmin, Jarrod designs, makes, and sells woodenware for their online business Woodspirit Handcraft. He specializes in turning cups, handled mugs, bowls, plates, and lidded boxes, using a foot-powered pole lathe, a Japanese-style electric lathe, and a Western electric lathe. He carves a wide variety of cooking and eating utensils with axe and knife. Research at archives and museums informs his designs. Jarrod is also a tool maker and hand forges knives and other carving and woodworking tools.
He teaches handcraft nationally and internationally including at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, North House Folk School, Port Townsend School of Woodworking, Greenwood Guild London, Plymouth CRAFT, and Gifu Forest Academy, Japan. He participates in international exchange by teaching and studying abroad, as well as training craftspeople in his own shop.
Jarrod has extensive knowledge of harvesting and processing natural materials and the making and use of hand tools. He has a deep philosophical, historical and pragmatic approach to making, teaching, and advocating for handcraft.
Jarrod writes a blog, and has written for Popular Woodworking and Mortise & Tenon Magazines. He made two DVDs, The Art of Spoon Carving and One Tree about green woodworking recorded in Japan. He also has a forthcoming book with Lost Art Press on Spring Pole Lathe Turning. He lives in Northern Wisconsin.
Open Nomination
Nominations are accepted - fill out this form to submit someone as a candidate for the next round of Slöjd Fellowships.