After years of woodworking full time Jamie now spends most of his time farming. However the skills are still sharp (see what he did there...) and he will be focusing on technique this Hoolie. Always known for simple design and large ladles, he has taught at many Hoolies, Spoonfest and also run private courses. Expect to learn how to get rid of wood fast with the axe and carve long smooth facets with the knife. He also tells us he’s ‘ravishingly handsome and debonair’. We’ll leave that up to you to decide.

Mary is a blacksmith who has been forging on and off for the past 14 years now. Based in the south of England, Mary specialises in toolmaking, but also enjoys adding her attention to detail and elegant style to all manner of small forged artifacts. She loves to teach the craft to anyone who is willing to step into the world of fire and steel. Spend some time at the bellows and the anvil and forge something beautiful to keep, it will be an experience you won't forge-t... 

Mike Craig is a West-Yorkshire based green wood carver and coppice worker. Working in sympathy with the natural properties of freshly cut wood, he hand-carves beautiful spoons, bowls and vessels using traditional tools. During his career as a Countryside Management and Arboriculture lecturer and tree surveyor, Mike worked with trees and woodland for over 25 years. Ten years ago, he combined that knowledge and experience with his love of working with wood and began teaching green woodwork. In his role as The Spoon Doctor, Mike has taught at numerous craft festivals up and down the country including The Great Scottish Spoon Hoolie and Spoontown. Mike loves to teach and has a passion for passing on traditional techniques for working with greenwood.

Mobile Print Studio (MoPS) is a Glasgow-based pop-up printmaking initiative run by David and Romana, dedicated to making printmaking accessible to all. David, a visual artist specialising in printmaking, has ten years of experience as a print technician at The Glasgow School of Art. He co-founded Mobile Print Studio in 2015 to share his expertise and passion for screenprinting, etching, and other print techniques with the wider community. Romana joined the studio in early 2023 as a studio manager during a six-month funded internship and has since continued in her role, overseeing the daily operations and helping facilitate workshops. Together, David, Romana, and their team of amazing freelance tutors, ensure that printmaking is fun, inclusive, and accessible to everyone.

Werner has been with us from the very first Hoolie, and says ‘I started green woodworking around 15 years gao and I’ve been teaching for a lot of that time. During the last few years, I’ve focused on smaller things like spoons, kuksas, and bowls, as well as on tool making. For me, the green woodworking journey is all about the wonderful people you meet!’

Rick says, ‘I started practicing woodcarving the year before the pandemic, as a way to decompress and ease the stress of working as a musician/ busker full time. After the pandemic, I took 6 months off and went on a long journey across the US, crafting and busking for donations, making up stories for my little characters as we traveled along. Ultimately, I started teaching my first classes there, and once back in Scotland, I decided to put all that energy into building a community and bring together ancient  skills, tradition, creativity, innovation, mindfulness, well-being, storytelling, mental health and more, all in one room, with just a little block of wood and a sharp tool. And a cup of tea or coffee.’

Photo by https://bio.site/CarlHarrisonPhotography

Emma of Bog Born Crafts is an archaeologist turned potter and crafter based in Perthshire, Scotland. She creates nature, folklore and historically inspired ceramics ranging from decorative modern tableware to replicas of ancient pottery fired in a bonfire. Sharing the age old joy of shaping clay and combining earth, fire and water to create useful ceramics makes it a joy to share this craft in workshops. We'll use different clays and a range of hand tools (including the best of all: our hands themselves!) to create and have fun with the clay. Emma is happy to work with you to bring your ideas to life and we will explore mixing clays plus different ways of hand building and decorating your pieces. 

Caitlin creates jewellery that resonates with the ancient past and how humans interact with the land.  Based in Helensburgh at the edge of Argyll, Caitlin is inspired by rhythms and patterns that transcend ancient times, interpreting them for the present day. Drawing is at the roots of her practice using hand-made tools to translate the expressive quality of her sketches into metals. She puts her own spin on traditional craft processes of chasing, filigree and lost wax casting.

Dee says, ‘As a teenager who loved making things, I learned this technique from a book about the art of fishing net making, done by people somewhere in Africa. This style of “hand weaving”, as I call it, became a hobby and still is to this day! I then went on to live my life in various countries around the world and turned to learning one craft after another to make a living. Fascinated by any new craft I came across I was never able to stick to one and it ranged from paper making and marbling, clay modelling to fabric painting and I loved it all! Years ago, I ran weekly workshops on this weaving style in Glasgow, where I live, which was well attended. Time to do it again and meet new people!’

Owen is an internationally recognised maker and teacher who specialises in Pole Lathe turning and spoon carving. Originally from South London, Owen now lives and works in Herefordshire. He has worked with and learned from some of the top names in the woodworking world such as Mike Abbott, Barnaby Carder and Robin Wood. Owen has taught green woodwork for over 10 years both at his workshop and events in the UK and internationally. In 2022, he was awarded the Sundqvist / Coperthwaite Slojd Fellowship by Jogge Sundqvist. He also works extensively with organisations in Herefordshire to teach skills to individuals with mental health problems, neurodivergancies and learning difficulties. Owen aims to create beautiful but functional items for people to use and to be an advocate for the further development of green woodwork and slojd.

Geordie-born Tom has been making his living in the Scottish Highlands as a Greenwood worker for 16 years. Using axe and knife he makes animal sculptures, bowls and spoons, however his main passion is for drinking vessels, and it is here where he has indulged his obsession!