Nora Engels

Wood sculptor

©Nora Engels

The joy of living creatively

Nora comes from the Swiss region of Engadine
She started woodcarving as a hobby
She creates lifelike sculptures and ornaments

Nora Engels grew up in the Swiss canton of Graubünden with a passion for wood sculpture, a craft her father taught her. She decided to formally train at the Brienz woodcarving school and is now an accomplished craftswoman, having opened her workshop in January 2021 in her hometown of Samedan. Her lifelike sculptures include animals, figurines and full-scale creations, and her skill for detailed carving can make her pieces seem like wooden embroidery. She describes her strength as the ability to animate her work and make it come alive. As well as woodcarving, Nora has an eye for design and likes to use other materials such as steel, offering a fresh perspective on this ancient craft and its possibilities.

Interview

©Nora Engels

©Nora Engels

How did you get into woodcarving?: Even before I trained as a cabinetmaker, I made alluvial wood sculptures in my spare time, a hobby I learnt from my father. One day I decided I wanted to make a living from it. I started my training as a wood sculptor, which was my best decision ever.
What do you love most about your craft?: Every piece of wood is individual and the job has many facets. I have meetings with customers, I work with the chainsaw, which is physically demanding, sometimes I carve details, I model and draw. I can design everything myself and fully live out my creativity.
What might people not know about your work?: That my work takes a lot of time. It's not easy for a non-initiated person to imagine how a sculpture is made from a block of wood, how many steps have to be taken from the sketch, to the model, to the template, even before the woodwork can start.
Can you relate a highlight from your working life?: I have been told that my art really radiates and reflects the joy I have for my profession, which is wonderful and unforgettable. My craft makes me infinitely happy, sets me up, gives me strength, and I can live out my talent and put it into my work.

Nora Engels is a rising star: she began her career in 2020