The wood carvings pictured in this catalog are designed, hand crafted and sold by Weir Handmade, J.P. Artcraft (our sister company in the Philippines), and 150 or so carvers in the mountains of the Philippines.

We believe in using traditional means to create our carvings, because these methods lead to the fashioning of non standartized products that are personal to both the carver and the customer. These methods include selecting and purchasing one tree at a time; then cutting, carving and hand carrying the sood out of the forest, which creates little environmental degradation. The freshly cut wood is carved with classic tools including mallets, chisels, knives and drawn blades. The finished carvings are then dried in a hot box, heated by the sun, for three to twelve months before we paint and/or finish them in preparation for selling. Carving green and drying in such a manner is very time consuming and often contributes to our being out of stock of items for a period; but our belief in using traditional mens leads to our commitment to using these slow but effective methods.

Since each carving is completely hand carved by one artisan, no two pieces, even of one design, will look exactly alike. By avoiding mass production methods we are able to produce carvings that have all the personality (including the blemishes) of works from the days before mass production. Please be aware that our carvings often develop some checking and cracking, both before they are shipped and after they are first introduced into the dehumidified climate of most homes and shops. Our carvings are unconditionally guaranteed to please -- However, if their individuality and natural blemished are unacceptable to you or to your customers, please use discretion in ordering.

We work in the Philippines because some of us at Weir Handmade have lived there and know a large number of craftspeople with traditional wood carving skills. These artisans, who live in the mountains of north-central Luzon, also have an urgent need for a source of income to feed and house their families. In working with these carvers we use no agents or middlemen; this makes our work more difficult (but in most ways a lot more fun!), and allows more money to go directly to where it is most needed.

We have recently made an initial purchase of 15 acres of land for reforestation and have begun to plant it to a mixed forest. The tropical softwoods we use grow to maturity in 8 to 10 years, so our reforestation efforts will not only help protect the environment and return income to the local economy, but also establish a continuous supply of trees to produces the carvings that (we hope) you all enjoy.

From all of us at Weir Handmade and J. P. Artcraft and from all the carvers, thanks for your interest in our wood carvings.