Our March grant was awarded to Public Woodcarving in Prospect Park, a free, pop-up woodcarving and hand-tool woodworking demo series in Prospect Park from artist Arden Carlson. The project invites passersby to sit down, pick up a gouge, and try carving for themselves.

In a city that moves fast and runs digital, I want to create a small, analog interruption. Using simple carving blocks and basic tools, I’ll demonstrate safe hand-carving techniques and guide participants through making small sculptural forms — spoons, abstract shapes, or pocket-sized objects.

This project uses the AwesomeNYC grant to purchase hand tools and materials for free, community-based woodcarving events. The goal is to share foundational hand-tool skills in an accessible, low-pressure environment, offering folks a direct, tactile relationship to making.

At its core, the project is about craft, curiosity, and the importance of shared, communal practice. Working with hand tools creates space for slowness and attention — qualities that are often missing from daily life. By hosting these events, I hope to lower barriers to woodworking and create a space for exploration.

Craft has historically been a way knowledge is passed between people. This project continues that lineage, centering skill-sharing, connection, and the quiet value of making something together.

• Follow Arden on Instagram
• Check out ardencarlson.com