We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michael Laico a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Michael, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
My journey started when I was 12 years old, my grandfather inspired my passion for woodworking while spending summers working with him in his woodshop and on his farm. Woodworking came naturally to me and when I was in my twenties I got serious about my woodworking.
I learned how to use many different hand tools, power tools and equipment with my grandfather as I helped make fireplace mantels. He taught me how to understand wood, wood movement which is critical to creating pieces without warping. I am basically a self-taught woodworker, woodturner, wood artist. I will tell you in 2000 I wanted to learn how to wood turn. I was lucky to find someone at the local Woodworking Guild to mentor me. He was a professional woodturner, I spent 3 weeks, 2 nights a week learning spindle turning, how to use the tools and sharpening the tools. The 18 hours I spent with him gave me the knowledge to learn more on my own. Since 2000 I have been wood turning and love it, and today I turn an average of 20 hours or more a week.
After being a vender at a few local art festivals and acquiring business from a large woodworking company and many different home builders, I realized my work was more than just a hobby. I had so many orders I could not keep up with the demand. At that time. I was working long hours every day and weekends, the demand for my pieces was over whelming. I took time to evaluate my processes, tools and equipment, shop layout but at the same time continue all of my work in process. The time I spent evaluating helped me identify improvements that continue to help me today.
I have a passion for wood, wood art and it has shaped my identity in every piece I touch. Every step, every project, every challenge, perpetual learning, has contributed to my growth and success as a maker, wood artist.
Creating wood art is a form of therapy for me, I spend hours and hours in my shop lost in thought as I carefully work shaping each piece. Every piece I create has a unique story. I’ve spent 40 years perfecting my techniques and skill transforming a rough piece of raw wood, shaping, sanding and finishing into a beautiful handmade piece of wood art. I spend a great deal of time selecting beautiful figured wood and highly figured burls, these pieces are so beautiful, the unique character of the wood adds beauty to each piece I make. The finished pieces are not just an object to me, but a reflection of me and my craft. I believe handmade wood art is cherished for its unique craftsmanship and the personal connection to the artist.
My shop has become a place of solitude, working in complete silence allows me space for self-reflection and the power of bringing a project to completion from raw natural materials, For me there is great satisfaction to be found in work that engages one so deeply you’re able to forget yourself making handmade items.
It has been an amazing journey, and I have loved every minute.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My name is Michael Laico, Michael’s Woodcrafts is a small artisan wood studio nestled on Paris Mountain north of downtown Greenville, SC.
I’ve spent 40 years perfecting my techniques and skill transforming a rough piece of raw wood, shaping and finishing into a beautiful handmade piece of wood art. I am most proud of the legacy my work creates, a blend of artistic identity, design and uniqueness and the ability to turn raw wood into something that endures time.
I am dedicated in handcrafting luxury artistic homewares using locally reclaimed sustainably sourced woods. Our homewares are thoughtfully designed to be both practical and beautiful, with the natural colors and textures of every piece. I make high-end heirloom quality pieces, all handmade, many are mix-media, a combination of wood and resin that include cutting boards, charcuterie boards, stools, ice cream scoops, pizza cutters, recessed wine bottle stoppers, acorn wine stoppers, acorn door stopper wedges, acorn coat racks, cheese knifes, bar knifes, bread knives, wedding cake knives, pie/cake knives, hand whisk, bottle openers, honey sticks, catchall trays, antique and vintage design hand mirrors, unique turned bowls, and more. I do a lot of custom work for my customers as well. I am always developing new ideas and are always up for a challenge!
In a mass-produced world, I focus on design, and craftsmanship creating high quality pieces allowing the natural character of the wood and resin to speak on its own preserving wood art. Often you may have a vision for the wood in hand, but the wood always has the final say. Prior to starting a project, I always inspect the wood prior to working the wood, considering the design, the shape, looking at the character, grain, voids, back inclusions, burl eyes, etc., all of this helps me determine if the wood is suitable for my project. Often after starting a project, knots, voids, bark inclusions will appear and you may have to change your design, taking the piece in a totally different direction.
Every day I pour my heart and soul into every piece, ensuring excellence at every step of the process. No two pieces are ever exactly alike, even when I create a series of similar items.
I am most proud of the legacy my work creates, a blend of artistic identity, design and uniqueness and the ability to turn raw wood into something that endures time. It’s with pride, and decades of work, I’ve developed a style that is unmistakably my own. What sets my work apart from other wood artist is the quality of my work, the beauty and uniqueness of my pieces. I have many niche pieces that no other wood artist makes.
Each year I attend in person, juried, invitational Art shows and Art Festivals in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. The art festivals help me increase my sales and customer awareness driving more business to my website, Instagram and for custom orders. The art festivals also allow me to promote and advertise my work and the chance to network and engage with other artist that often leads to collaborating with them on projects.
During these shows I have won ribbons for my turned figured maple burl bowls and vessels. It’s always a moment of pride, the recognition of hard work and dedication that went into the design, shaping with my tools and applying the finish. It gives me a sense of accomplishment, success and dedication to continue to create. The ribbons are a symbol of excellence, recognition for hard work and encourages me to continue to do what I love. The last judged festival I attended was the Highlands NC Art Festival in August of 2025 and I won ribbons.
Listed below are the Art Festival I currently have scheduled.
Browse & Stroll, downtown Travelers Rest SC
May 23rd Hours: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
There will be over 80 plus artist attending.
Highlands Mountaintop Art Festival, downtown Highlands, NC
August 29th and 30th Hours: Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sunday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Over 110 Artist this year, in addition to the incredible art, the Mountaintop Art & Craft Shows feature a vibrant lineup of live music and entertainment. Children events, local musicians will set the perfect tone for the event, creating a festive and lively atmosphere.
https://www.highlandsartshow.com/
John C Campbell Folk Art School Fall Festival
October 3rd and 4th
Saturday and Sunday 10:00 to 5:00
The event features three outdoor vendor areas – both juried and non-juried – for visitors to experience the stunning 270-acre campus. This year, look forward to 230 craft vendors and 29 food vendors, plus close to 75 makers demonstrating traditional and contemporary crafts across multiple locations. Each year, more than 13,000 visitors attend from across the southern Appalachian region – including Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia – to celebrate the spirit of community and creativity. The event will feature two music and dance stages showcasing dozens of local and regional performers. In addition, the Demonstration Stage, along with three other demonstration areas, will highlight traditional skills and craft practices. Community Room, in the historic Keith House will also be open for participatory activities, inviting everyone to get hands-on with Appalachian traditions.
www.folkschool.org/events/fall-festival/
My Holiday Festival have not been scheduled. I will update this page as soon as I have the dates.
I generally attend 2 to 3 Holiday festivals between November and December every year. Once I have the schedule I will update this page.
Click this link to go to my Events page for updates EVENTS art fesitvals – Michael’s Woodcrafts
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
From beginning to end, I enjoy the entire process of working with my hands to create my artwork. It takes practice, patience, an understanding of wood, wood grain, how wood moves, wood moisture, how to use tools to shape the wood, and how to finish and care for the wood to make high-quality pieces.
Don’t rush the process, enjoy each step, document your processes and every project. Create written process so you can easily use it as a reference. Be patient as you develop your skills in using the tools, techniques, and understanding all the different types of wood and wood movement.
Most often things don’t always go according to plan, some projects are more difficult than others, especially if you are learning new techniques. Sometimes you will need to walk away, think about the project, about your process, the technique and maybe you need to do some research or find a mentor to help you.
Looking back, I feel like I could have speeded up the learning process by working with master craftsman at a professional woodturning shop. Consider working at a custom woodshop or find mentors at your local woodworking guild. If you have Woodcraft Supply or Rockler in your location, they offer evening and weekend classes.
Having the right equipment and hand tools is critical, I would suggest that you purchase the largest piece of equipment you can afford up front. I started with medium size equipment and after a few years I needed to up my upgrade equipment to larger more productive pieces.
For my business I do a tremendous amount of custom orders, having the skill and the right tools and equipment is critical.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My grandfather played a foundational role in my development by introducing me to woodworking at a young age and giving me access to his shop. Those early experiences sparked my interest and provided the initial skills that guided my path.
Beyond that beginning, the majority of my growth has come through self-directed learning over more than forty years. I have consistently built my skills through hands on practice, problem solving, and a commitment to understanding the material itself. An 18-hour mentorship on the wood lathe helped refine techniques that felt intuitive to me, but my long-term progress has largely been shaped by persistence, curiosity, and a deep respect for the lathe and turning.
In combination, my grandfather’s early influence and my own dedication to continuous learning have been the most important factors in overcoming challenges and developing the skills necessary for success in my work.
I am always learning and sharing with other wood artists. I enjoy reading Woodshop News, Furniture and Cabinetmaking, plus two woodturning magazines, Woodturning from the UK and AAW American Association of Woodturners. All of these are great tools for woodworkers that help me get a sense of the new equipment and supplies that are available, woodworking techniques and tips, and what is trending with other woodworkers.
Every year I attend the IWF International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta. The IWF offers the largest showcase of woodworking equipment, materials, supplies and services in North American for woodworkers. The manufactures are demonstrating cutting edge equipment, tools and many other products live at the show. It is an opportunity to meet the exhibitors and build a relationship with them because they are the industry experts.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelswoodcraft/?hl=en
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