Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell

Having originally trained in fine art, Deborah became addicted to spoon carving (she’s a spoon a day type!) after a long career as an artist and a writer of craft books.

She has always been interested in tools and materials and is fascinated by the usefulness of making..... for practical, emotional as well as psychological reasons. She is interested in the endless possibilities of carving a spoon; such a modest object but one that embraces style, form, function, tradition and aesthetics. Her practice and teaching stresses the importance of drawing (without a template) as a way of developing imagination and enhancing perception. She has specialised in the small practical pocket spoon. Deborah continues to attend, learn and teach at many spoon-carving events and this has given her an opportunity to connect with an inspiring, generous and international spoon community. Like many spoon-carvers she is inspired by the natural world and loves to investigate different species of shrubs and trees, from garden, field, woodland and street... and to enjoy the magical discovery of splitting a branch and seeing the colour and grain within. Like one or two others she is known for investigating and carving a large variety of different wood species and has even realised that a lovely piece of wood can do more than anything to cheer you up!  Spoon-carving enhances and provokes a lifelong interest in the value and meaning of making, from the initial impulse within to the realisation of that imaginative process in the form of a spoon. It’s a kind of magic. Deborah is the founder of the Highgate Spoon Union. At Spoonfest 2019 she co-curated the 'Spoons are good for you' exhibition which explored the therapeutic and transformational aspects of spoon-carving.