Japanese wood carving artist and nature-lover Mori Kono creates impressively detailed woodland animal sculptures. Now living in Canada, the skilled artist and his team (MK carving & sculpting) utilize their local materials such as yellow and red cedar, alder, and birch wood. The ongoing sculpture series includes bears, raccoons, rabbits, owls, and chipmunks. Often carved to look like they’re crawling from forest trees, or positioned to hang from wooden logs, the impressive works capture the playful nature of each mischievous creature.
Kono works with a range of power tools, and usually uses a small handheld chisel for careful details, such as intricately carved fur and feathers, or fine points around the animals’ eyes. Once carved, the artist then brings the pieces to life during the coloring process, which allows the animals to stand out from their pale colored logs.
Kono mainly works on a commission basis, with each piece tailored to individual customers. The MK carving & sculpting studio’s aim is to bring back the wonders of nature to the modern world. “If our completed works of art are able to contribute to society […] to have a deeper feeling and respect towards nature and the wild,” the team states, “then that is our greatest dream!”
To see more of Kono’s sculptures, follow him on Instagram and Facebook, where he posts photos and videos of his works in progress.
Wood carving artist Mori Kono transforms ordinary logs into impressively detailed animal sculptures.
The skilled artist documents his techniques and processes on social media.
MK Carving and Sculpting: Website | Facebook | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Mori Kono.
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