Wally Kowal
After a stressful career as a high-tech startup executive, I started Whistler Woodcraft in 2014 to turn my lifelong love of woodworking, stained glass and photography into an enjoyable long-term business that I can carry on into my eventual retirement.
It has quickly grown into a full-time business focussing on candles, platters and small furniture made from barrel staves and rare local Ontario woods. In 2017, my wife and I moved to Niagara-on-the-lake where I set up a new workshop with a studio where I can display my wide range of wine barrel products and charcuterie boards. Because I am sourcing much of my wood right from the forest or orchard, I have had to learn and develop processes and facilities to dry my own wood. This challenging combination of art and science is only one of the many facets of this craft that appeals to me.
“All my wood is sourced locally in Niagara Region and I process many products from tree to table.
In many cases, I go into the orchards to cut down a tree, rough-cut the wood at my shop, dry it in my own home-built kiln, and then create and finish the final product. Where I cannot source my own raw materials I work with local suppliers to purchase materials like large live-edge slabs or rare wood like ambrosia maple and tap maple. I am certified by Ontario Wood (Government of Ontario MNR) as using Ontario wood in all my products.”
Contact
Location
#15 Whistler Woodcraft Studio
Home studio of Woodworker Wally Kowal.