Raif Killips Wood Carving

Natural history subjects carved from sustainably sourced timber and local coppice products. All works © Raif Killips

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Wren & Ivy Spoon (2021)

A few years ago I saved a small piece of a storm damaged ash tree at the family home in the Peak District National Park. The billet wasn't suited to stick making and sat in my stock pile unused. Then along came an idea. To celebrate the ash tree and preserve that piece of Derbyshire I used the blank for this wren and ivy spoon. Carved with hand tools only.

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Bittern Crook & Walking Stick (2021) This bittern is carved from ash using all hand tools. It is coloured with wood stains. The bird head is finished with mat acrylic varnish and the exposed ash and hazel shaft are finished with danish oil and beeswax.

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Wren Thumbstick (2021)

This wren thumbtack was hand carved from lime using knives and gouges. It is mounted on a hazel shaft. The carving is coloured with wood stain and finished with melamine lacquer and beeswax.

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Squacco Heron walking stick (2019)

The heron was hand carved from ash using knives and gouges. It is mounted on a hazel shaft. The carving is coloured with wood stain and finished with exterior acrylic varnish. 

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Harvest Mouse & Bramble (2021)

The subject is carved by hand from a coppice hazel block stick. Using wood gouges and carving knives. 

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Kingfisher walking stick (2020)

This carving of a diving kingfisher, was done using knives and hand gouges. It was painted with artist acrylics and finished with exterior acrylic varnish. It is one piece made from a coppice hazel ‘block’ stick.

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Robin walking stick (2020)

This carving of the gardener’s friend, the robin, was done in lime using knives and hand gouges. It is mounted on a coppice hazel shaft. The colour is artist acrylic, sealed with exterior acrylic varnish.

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Reed Bunting thumb stick (2019) & Bittern crook (2020)

These two carvings of wetland birds, a common bunting and a bittern, the UK’s rarest heron species, are both mounted on hazel shafts. Both are carved by hand using knives and wood gouges. The bittern is carved in ash and the reed bunting in lime.