Why I . . . carve spoons

Sitting at his kitchen table, Matt Gardiner enjoys creating what may become cherished pieces of history. Gardiner, a consultant hand and plastic surgeon at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, enjoys the ancient art of wooden spoon carving. Over time, the beautiful and functional utensils he creates and then gifts to family and friends will continue to evolve as they age, “taking on a patina of new colours reflecting their use,” he says.Since discovering the craft, Gardiner has become a passionate spoon carver. “Like a lot of surgeons, I enjoy being creative. And spoon carving is a great hobby and very meditative,” he says. “I enjoy looking at a piece of wood and thinking, ‘Where is the spoon in this?’ and ‘Can I use the elements of the wood to create a nice, functional spoon that’s going to look good?’”He finds spoon carving benefits his role as a clinician by helping…
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