One-of-a-Kind Wood Carvings

Welcome to The Linden Wood Studio, where master craftsman Bill Apelian transforms basswood and many kinds of found wood into beautiful heirlooms, using time-honored tools such as handsaws, lathes, gouges, and artists’ oil colors. His specialty is making Santas and Christmas ornaments, all crafted in an Old World style.

But Bill Apelian also turns bowls and makes distinctive art pieces from all kinds of wood–cherry, oak, walnut, Leyland cypress, magnolia, elm, maple, and many others. He delights in discovering what a particular piece of wood wants to be. When working with traditional tools, he feels he enters another time in his Linden Wood Studio in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Since 2004, he has been a juried member of the prestigious Southern Highlands Craft Guild (http://www.southernhighlandguild.org). And he has been featured multiple times in publications such as Early American Life (http://ealonline.com) and Southern Living.

Visit his extensive gallery of handcrafted items, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you would like a wood piece tailored to your unique vision.

Learn More

Carving. Turning. Making Heirlooms.

To inspire joy with the warmth and beauty of handcrafted creations in wood.

Santas and Ornaments

Architectural

Bowls

Reviews

This is just a quick note of appreciation for your skill as an artist. I purchased one of your bowls recently from the Southern Highland Craft Guild store near Asheville. I am enamored with this bowl! When I saw it on the shelf, even before I picked it up, I knew it had to be mine. The shape, the size, the incredibly smooth finish. I find it very comforting to hold and handle - a real stress reliever during times of anxiety. It was the feeling of life within it.

This Santa is absolutely amazing. The detail is just wonderful. I love the detail in his face and the coat. It's just marvelous!!! This is such a treasure to me.

I love it!! It's even better than I could have imagined it. The detail in the bag is amazing!!

I want to thank you for the beautiful bowl. It is just gorgeous. I have it sitting on my dining room table. I so appreciate the time you took to make the bowl for us!

I have had a special experience with the owners of this shop, Bill & Dawn. I ordered this beautiful bowl but noticed that I never wrote a review after receiving it, which I always do right away. So I wrote to check on the status of the bowl, & sure enough it had been mailed out to me. After these kind people made several phone calls to check on the bowl, it seems that it had been delivered. Could it have been taken by someone from my door? I decided to chalk it up to “these things happen” & forgot about it. Today (weeks later) I received the sweetest gesture in the mail. This shop’s owners sent me a pretty spalted bowl with a note, saying that they wanted to do this for me. What a lovely gesture! It proves these people deserve our business & can be trusted to see to it that we are happy. I highly recommend them❣️😃

Love this ornament. Hope to add more to my collection. Excellent quality and fast shipping too.

Bill’s pieces are more beautiful in person. Very detailed carving and beautifully painted. I have two of Bill’s Santa’s, and they get shipped out promptly. Beautiful workmanship!

You were surely right to name this bowl "Purity." The soft glow to the wood along with the beautifully proportioned grain pattern is stunning. Very well made with a great finish - thank you!

This lovely bowl is too nice to use - I have it on display on my desk. The beautiful richly colored wood shimmers in the light. The seller was very helpful when I had questions. Arrived surprisingly quickly. Overall excellent transaction.

Absolutely gorgeous piece of artwork

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