Martina Rudolph

Martina Rudolph and her husband are among the leading woodcarvers who produce these trees, as well as ornaments, wall and window decorations and lighting. As a child in the Erzgebirge, Martina Rudolph learned the family tradition of Spanbaumstecherei from her father Helmut Beyer, a well-known woodcarver. She practiced these special skills as a hobby, and in 1996 opened her own small workshop in Seiffen to produce this unique Erzgebirge folk art for others.

Some of the most charming forms of Erzgebirge wooden folk art are "span trees" and the decorations and ornaments based on the tradition of Spanbaumstecherei (carving wooden trees with intricate curly branches).

Span trees are known by many names - span trees, chip trees, splinter trees, shaved wooden trees, twilled trees, or curled trees. Using a method developed in the 1930s, the trees are hand carved of linden wood, curl by curl, layer by layer.

Martina Rudolph in her workshop.

Wood Curled Trees.