Sweet gum sculptural spoons on Art Is everywhere
Artists,  Design,  Food & Drink,  Functional Art,  Inspiration,  Sculpture

The Sculptural Culinary Tools of Sweet Gum

The sculptural culinary tools of Sweet Gum can bring a whole other sensory experience to the enjoyment of preparing and eating food, especially if you appreciate the workmanship and beauty of the tool you are using.

I recently discovered Sweet Gum, handmade, sculptural spoons and culinary tools for your kitchen by Joseph Huebscher, a talented woodworker in Tennessee. His artistic pieces marry form and function beautifully.

Sweet gum sculptural spoons on Art Is everywhere
Photos via Sweet Gum

Sweet gum 2 on Art Is Everywhere

Sweet gum spoons on Art Is Everywhere

Sweet gum 3 on AIE

Sweet gum scoop on Art Is Everywhere

Sweet Gum has been featured in Food & Wine, Harvest & Honey, Spoonful among others. Here’s a wonderful Vimeo video, explaining his creative process, emphasizing how the different grains of the wood become the unique artistic marker of each piece.

Joseph Huebscher from Make Beautiful on Vimeo.

Be sure to review Joseph’s Instagram for more inspirational spoons and handcrafted culinary tools by Sweet Gum.

Sweet Gum brings back memories of stepping on those spikey balls that covered my yard while growing up in New Orleans. I cursed them then but I appreciate what can be done with them now through science and woodworking. Who knew it had medicinal properties and it contributes to Tamiflu along with the star anise?! “The only edible part of the tree is the dried sap which makes a fragrant, bitter chewing gum. Despite its name the gum is not sweet,” as explained on Eat the Weeds. But, its wood can be used too.

Sweet Gum balls via Eat the Weeds on AIE
Sweet Gum balls via Eat the Weeds

Here’s another interesting video about unusual culinary tools. Although this apple peeler is purely practical in nature and lacks the stylistic refinement of the previous pieces, it can make the endeavor of peeling an apple truly magical and very “appealing” indeed.

This is a short post and the only one, as it turns out, for the month of June, as I’ll pick up with more cultural and culinary delights when I come back online in July.

Happy Summer!

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I'm an artist, wife and mother of two boys. I started my illustration business, The Occasional Palette over 35 years ago, when my oldest son was an infant. Once my children were in school, I began painting decorative, faux finishes and murals through my second business, Casart, now over 30 years old. My third business, Casart Coverings, is a springboard from my second. Click on the link on the sidebar to see innovative, custom, designer wallcovering, removable and reusable wallpaper and coordinating decor.