Wood-en It Be Nice to Spoon

Kelli McRobert | Apr 06, 2022

Recently, I was invited for a lovely visit to a local carver who has been creating works of art for over 30 years. Dennis Foeller is an artist who creates carvings from images he sees in his head. Yes, I mean he ‘dreams’ things up and can then recreate them with intricate detail out of pine and other materials. Some of his creations include paddles, oars, and beautiful mirrors. I was curious as to how he got started and he noted that he had been a lithographer for over 35 years. I quickly came home to Google what exactly that involved and found that it is the “process of printing from a flat surface treated so as to repel the ink except where it is required for printing”. *Oxford Dictionary

History reports that Lithography was ‘accidentally’ invented around 1796 in Germany by a Bavarian playwright so he could duplicate his music. When you do a bit more digging you find that many of the terms related to lithography are artist, carver, cutter, and sculptor, so it only seems apt that Dennis comes by this naturally and has mastered his talent of creating art that requires patience and precision.

Upon arrival to his modest home located in Sharbot Lake, Dennis, a former carpenter, is welcoming and friendly, and I get a personal tour of his in-home workshop where the light cascades in through well-placed windows and floods into the small workshop just off the sitting room. His comfortable overstuffed chair is worn with the hours spent chiseling and chipping out small pieces of pine as he crafts a spoon, a dream catcher, or a customized wooden book. His shelves and walls are packed with movies, books, and photos, wood chips lay scattered at his feet as he explains his process and how some projects take him upwards of 60 hours to complete.

“Last year was a good year”, he exclaims as he notes that he sold “27 paddles and 16 obliques”, a larger project that he works on in his ½ basement. Paddles lined the warm kitchen and fresh sandwiches had been made for a shared lunch as he told his story of moving to Sharbot Lake 11 years ago to be closer to family. His eyes light up as he explains how he comes up with some of the concepts, like taking broken, roadside posts and carving them into cheeky squirrels carrying their nuts, or owls who stand tall rising up from a weathered base ----wise, alert, and attentive. As we explored more of his treasures like the well-worn books, carefully ridged with a blade saw so each page looked worn and tactile, he recounted tales of love and loss, each story captured in a moment of time, with each gouge, and carving in the round. Two inquisitive ducks, watched, peering out from the corner of the room, as crafted book ends held up wooden masterpieces, each one titled to tell a tale of a time or memory of yore.

This early riser shares a passion for nature and his property is host to many deer and other wildlife, he explains that they “know it is safe to come here, they will not be hunted” he jokes. As mentioned above, there are certain aspects to someone who is creative and has experience working with his imaginative brain, and Dennis does not limit his creativity to wood. A self-proclaimed poet, Dennis has been writing poetry and publishing articles for many years as he shares his home with Ginger, the 18-year-old marmalade kitty, who made a special appearance between naps and snacks, and accepted a pet from me with cat like disinterest.

As we were nearing the end of our luncheon, Dennis brought out a few more items that demonstrated his ability to transform a piece of pine into a tangible tool. Intricately woven spoons were carefully laid out on the floor, each one a unique and customized piece, with hearts, insignia, and maple leaf’s, adorning the handles. A carved fork and spoon were on the footstool, a recent project that he saw in a magazine and then recreated with ease. Hours of work go into each one from conceptual idea to finished product. Some are left rustic and rough, while others go through a finishing process leaving them perfectly smooth to the touch as they curve and loop in majestic patterns, reminding me of dolphins at play or vines as they weave their way towards sunlight. Word has gotten out about his creative abilities as his small roadside sign is all he needs to keep busy as friends tell friends of this creative master. With his passion for repurposing the old, and creating something new, Dennis is a local artisan who loves to ‘spoon’ and ‘wooden’t change it for anything.

Thanks for a lovely visit.

If you are interested in one of his paddles, oars, or wooden pieces please contact him at 613-449-8997