OUR WORKSHOP
Sustainable Woodworking
A Place of Learning, Reflection and Craft
Our workshop is open to the forest and nestled in the foothills of Kunanyi/Mt.Wellington, surrounded by towering trees and birdsong you’ll experience a direct and grounding connection to the source of our materials.
The workshop is purpose-built for traditional woodworking techniques and features a range of tools and benches including pole lathes, draw horses and chopping blocks. Everyone has a dedicated place to work and all tools and materials are provided for you. The building is designed to inspire creativity and connection, as well as to provide shelter from the weather.
Our longer courses begin with a brief chat around the fire before we make time to observe the forest and reflect on how the trees have grown in order to understand the nature of the wood inside the tree. The environment encourages mindfulness, attentiveness, and creativity.
TRAVEL BACK IN TIME TO A
PRE-INDUSTRIAL AGE.
Listen to your surroundings. You won’t need a dust mask, eye protection or ear protection. Welcome to a safe place at a human pace. Welcome to Wisdom Through Wood.
The Participant Experience: Small Group Woodworking Workshops
More Than Just a Course
Taking part in a course at Wisdom Through Wood will nourish the hands, heart and the mind. Each day unfolds at a purposeful pace, allowing time for learning, reflection, and the quiet pleasure of working with wood in community. You'll be welcomed into a small group of four to six participants, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared exploration. As you shape green wood into everyday objects, you’ll come to understand the profound value of useful, hand-made things. These pieces carry the marks of your effort, the grain of the tree, and the memory of your learning. They become heirlooms not just for their function, but for the story they hold.
Sharing Meals and Moments in a Creative Community
The longer courses include refreshments and a light, wholesome lunch—an opportunity to pause, share stories, and connect with fellow students. These communal meals often become a highlight, offering a moment to relax and reflect together amidst the sounds and sights of the day. They remind us that woodworking is not just about the objects we create, but also about the relationships and connections we form.
EXPLORE OUR COURSES
Learn Green Woodworking
and Traditional Craft
Our courses range from just a few hours to up to nine days.
Our Taster Courses are perfect for beginners and those curious about sustainable woodworking practices. Our Short Courses are perfect if you’re curious to give woodworking a try, want to build confidence with the tools, or simply feel like spending a day or two creating something with your own hands.
Our Longer Courses are immersive experiences designed to introduce a wide range of tools and techniques. The longer courses are not more difficult, they simply go into more detail and you experience a broader range of tools and techniques.
OUR APPROACH TO LEARNING
Matt Holden
Instructor • Wisdom Through Wood
We believe every human has vast potential to learn, is deeply clever, holds boundless creativity and can do wonders with their mind, heart and hands.
We also know many learners have not had teachers who listen to them and act respectfully towards them. Thus, many people do not know what great things they are capable of. Like creating a beautiful three legged stool from a log of wood in two days with no prior woodworking experience.
We'd welcome the opportunity to help you uncover and embrace your learning potential.