Meet Susan van Sittert

My love for woodworking began as a child through the teachings of my father. Since then, I've been inspired by the incredible diversity and potentiality of woodcraft. From the rich grain of local maple to the warm tones of Western Red Cedar, each piece of wood tells its own story.

Working among Vancouver Island's forests and coastlines, I find inspiration in the natural forms and textures that surround me. The flowing symmetry of the coast, the organic curves of wind-shaped trees, and the interplay of light and shadow in the forest all influence my designs.

Every bowl I create is a meditation on the beauty of natural materials. I believe in working with the wood, not against it, allowing the natural grain and character to guide the final form. No two pieces are ever identical – each bowl is as unique as the tree from which it came.

Sustainability and love is at the heart of my practice. I work exclusively with locally sourced, responsibly harvested wood. By giving these materials new life as functional art, I hope to honor the trees that provided them.