Carvings by Ingo

Ingo Dyrkton is a Lasqueti wood carver specializing in spoons, ladles, soup and salad bowls, as well as masks & sculpture.
Contact Ingo: 250-333-8627   toeclip2000 [at] yahoo [dot] ca

From the gentle whirr of his bicycle-powered sharpener to the rhythmic tapping of his adze as a bowl takes shape beneath his hands, carving is not only Ingo Dyrkton's occupation but his lifestyle, too.

The noticeable absence of machinery (and its attendant noise) not only allows for Ingo to enjoy the sounds of birds and the company of deer as he works outside his off-the-grid cabin on Lasqueti Island, it allows for further attention to his craft. The sharpener, made from a recycled exercise bike, is more precise in the absence of electricity because he can control its speed, thus preventing damage to his tools from over heating. It also allows for greater independence from the cost, maintenance and pollution of using fossil fuels.

Using only hand tools and local scavenged wood follows in the footsteps of a long tradition of handcrafting inspired by Ingo's own Scandinavian heritage, local indigenous native carvers and the teachings of Appalachian blacksmith Don Dillon. It was this blacksmith who made many of the implements Ingo now uses to free his finely crafted creations from their wooden encasings: bowls, spoons, ladles, and masks that he likes to think as 'functional art'.

"Perhaps the most prominent advantage in working with your hands", says Ingo, "is that it is simply enjoyable in and of itself" - a platitude he hopes to share and spread to others through bartering and skill-sharing.

Ingo Dyrkton is a Lasqueti wood carver specializing in spoons, ladles, soup and salad bowls, as well as masks & sculpture.

To view Ingo's carvings give him a call at 250 333 8627, e-mail him at toeclip2000 [at] yahoo [dot] ca, or just come on by the Lasqueti Farmer's Market, where, if you ask nicely, he may even give you a whittling lesson...

** Ingo's valued friend and teacher Don Dillon passed away in August of 2013. The following clickable link is a video tribute to him and an interview with Ingo, who shows off some of his unique carving knives and adzes and talks about his craft and his relationship with Don the blacksmith.**

Watch Ingo's Tribute to Don