BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – In his Burlington workshop, woodworker Adam Wager quite literally whittles away at what will soon become a vase.
“Carve these little shallow dimples all the way around, and the goal is not to leave any of the original surface on there,” he says, while methodically making divots in the wood.
Whether it be carving, sanding or turning on a lathe, New Century Woodworks is where unloved lumber takes on a new life.
“I make bowls and vases and candlesticks… anything round,” Wager says with a smile. He’s been at it for about 2 decades now, after taking a woodworking class at UVM. That taught the whole process, from forest management, to the fine art of woodturning. He felt his interest budding almost immediately.
“Working with green wood and just taking this thing that was alive and full of character and just immediately turning it into something that had a different sort of beauty to it,” he says. Now, he teaches woodworking at the Shelburne Craft School. And, in his own work, he strives to incorporate knots and imperfections. But, this is just a side gig, forcing him to find stolen moments to make his stunning wooden wares. Despite that, and a labor-intensive process, Wager says it’s the never-ending variety that keeps him coming back for more.
“It’s constantly something new so I want to keep coming back to it in part because I’m not making the same piece over and over and over again,” he says. “Each piece is a little bit different. Each piece is unique.”
Wager works heavily on the lathe, rounding out chunks of wood into something greater. He takes much inspiration from potters and ceramists… although sometimes, the wood alone is inspiration enough. All of his materials are sourced locally, and some are from right down the street.
“If a landowner is taking down a tree because it’s interfering with their house I’ll be out there… I had some pieces that came from storm down trees in the cemetery nearby,” he explains.
Once he’s made his candlesticks, vases, or plates, he takes them to sell at market. Some here in Vermont, like the BTV Market in Burlington’s City Hall Park. Others span across New England, where customers pine for traditional Vermont craftsmanship.
“The Vermont brand carries a lot of weight, particularly in the wood products industry. It really matters that things are coming from a state that manages its forests so well,” he says.
Despite the Vermont-made branding, the real root of his success is his talent for woodturning. A selection of Wager’s work is available at the Pompanoosuc Mills showroom in South Burlington.