Turning Trees into Art

Focus: Kartepe Plant Melamine Group Leader Birol Konuksever

The life of the tree, which ends with the cutting of the tree, begins again with wood carving. The works made through this art, which are created by cutting and carving wooden boards in the desired shape, take their place in museums. Of course, wood carving can also be used to make objects that can be used in daily life. Since it requires fine craftsmanship, it turns into a visual feast in skilled hands, while its individuality satisfies the soul of those who like to work independently. This art, which is long-lasting due to its durability, is also very popular as a hobby today. Wood carving, which can be practiced easily at home by anyone has a carving set, brings the tree back to life with the works created by those who trust their hands and mastery.

Birol Konuksever
Yıldız Entegre Kartepe Plant
Melamine Production Group Leader / Forest Industry Engineer
Ever since I was a child, I have always examined people's lives. Among these investigations, the role of wood in people's life journey from "cradle to grave" began to attract my attention. With this excitement, I started researching more, reading articles and watching videos on the subject. Every piece of information I learned carried me back to the past. Practices that had no expression in the past have emerged as a technique today. For example, the dye obtained from sycamore leaves opened new doors in my mind. I usually try to create products with exotic woods. The unique character of these woods adds character to the product and there is no need for extra painting. There are many different techniques for wood carving depending on the type of wood and the method of application. The type of wood material becomes important depending on whether the product will be used indoors or outdoors, whether it will come into contact with water or not, and the hardness, softness or strength of the wood. The most important issue at this point is how excited you are about the product you want to make. Because wood carving requires a lot of patience. It is very laborious to sand the wooden paintings, nameplates, rosaries... in other words, to sand each product one by one, to give the same care to all of them. The way the wood rewards you and captivates your eyes at the end of this effort is worth seeing and worth the effort. Engaging in wood carving can be considered a kind of meditation. I can say that it relaxes me spiritually. I feel energized at the end of every day I work with wood. Seeing the completion of a work I have worked hard for and the self-confidence of success makes me feel that I can overcome any problem I may encounter and that there is nothing impossible to learn and do. I think that the works I exhibit on the walls of my house are a small legacy that I can leave to my daughter and grandchildren. I also share the photos of the products I make with my followers on Instagram.

Turning Trees into Art