Biographical Info
Who is Cooper Ternes?
Cooper is a craftsman. Cooper is also the owner operator of Nordic WoodenWare and www.NordicWoodenWare.com. Nordic WoodenWare is a successful craft business focused on the production, marketing, and demonstration of wooden treen. Cooper Ternes creates, markets, and demonstrates wooden treen that is a modern interpretation of traditional Scandinavian woodenware. Cooper was born and raised in St. Paul Minnesota and now lives on the North Shore of Lake Superior. He studied Theology and Philosophy at Bethel University earning his BA in 2009.
Why Cooper Makes Bowls
Wooden Bowls are full of stories. They can be beautiful. They can be functional. A Wooden Bowl contains the story of the tree and the forest where it grew. It contains the story of the maker, his tools and the tradition it is a part of. A bowl also contains the story and the memories of the food you eat. A Wooden Bowl is personable and warm, with frequent and consistent use it becomes part of your story.
What Cooper Does
Cooper thinks of his work as a modern interpretation of the wooden bowls in the Scandinavian folk tradition. The tools and approach of these old makers inform the process he uses today in his own work.
What This Means
- In all Cooper’s work he uses green wood, allowing the wood to move as it wills.
- Cooper enjoys the tension of control and uncertainty in his work.
- His preferred aesthetic is to cut cleanly and to create good form.
- Often he will not sand his work preferring to leave the tool marks as a testament to the process.
- He uses simple edge tools to do any off-the-lathe work.
- Cooper’s production work is done on a modern Power lathe.
- Cooper enjoys doing his demonstration and educational work on a traditional pole lathe.
- The pole lathe helps to define the tradition and aesthetic he works in.
- Cooper uses only food safe wood finishes (he produces) to preserve his works functional integrity.
- Cooper receives a lot of enjoyment from educating the public about the Scandinavian bowl making tradition, as this extends the story to present and future generations of makers and consumers.
I live and work between the great Northern Boreal Forest of Minnesota and rocky shores of Lake Superior, which are both comforting boundaries and endless horizons. I am inspired by the beauty that surrounds me and the lovely community of misfits that can be found on the North Shore of Lake Superior. I am blessed with an abundance of local materials. All of my materials are local MN hardwoods, such as: White and Yellow Birch, Sugar Maple, Red Maple, Black Cherry, Black Ash, Black Walnut, Black and Honey Locust, Hackeberry, White and Red Oak, Grey and Red Elm, Kentucky Coffee Bean, Butternut, Hickory and many more that I have yet to find.
feel free to contact me at
Cooper@NordicWoodenWare.com