Created in 2021, Brian David Woodworks is a woodworking and woodcarving store located in the Ozarks near Branson, Missouri. The owner, Brian Thomas, has been working in wood for almost 30 years. The company’s goal is to continue the Ozark heritage of wood crafting, that makes the area so special.
In Brian’s words:
When I was young, I vacationed in Branson, Missouri several times with my family. While visiting in the late 80’s and early 90’s, my favorite thing to do was to watch the woodcarvers exercise their skills. I enjoyed seeing them convert a block of wood to an animal or a caricature. One time, I asked an ol’ timer from the area how to begin carving and he told me to start with a bar of soap. So, that’s what I did when I got back home to Des Moines, Iowa–I carved a boot. I was about 11 years old at the time and I’ve been carving ever since.
Then, during my sophomore year of high school, I started taking woodworking classes at the school and thoroughly enjoyed them. I even won some awards for my projects. Upon graduating, It was my dream to pursue a career in woodworking but I didn’t know if it would be possible to make a living out of it. So instead, I decided to go to college and become a programmer which I’ve been doing to this day.
But the dream still called so a few years ago my wife and I moved to the Ozarks. It was a big move but we’ve been blessed in many ways through it. I’ve had the opportunity to become friends with many carvers that have so generously shared their time and skills with me. I’ve become a better carver through that and have even learned enough blacksmithing to make carving tools as well. I’ve also been able to meet the family members of carvers that have passed away. Hearing their perspective and stories has meant a lot to me as well.
I created Brian David Woodworks to follow my passion of working in wood. I don’t know what the future will hold but I’m going to have fun doing it. Thank you for stopping by and leave a comment if you need anything.
Psalm 143:8