About

About Mr. Nyikon ~
Working with wood excites him, needless to say. The color, the grain, the texture, the smell, the “good feeling” wood gives off when you draw your hand across a beautifully made piece of furniture. Or just the “Beryl” of a nice pipe.

In his own words:
"I started carving gnome homes at the request of my mother in '88. She had asked me to get her a book about gnomes. They lived in the trunk of trees, just above the root systems. She asked me to carve her a gnome home. So I found a 10 foot tree trunk, next to a farmer’s field that had been hit by lighting, that he threw aside. A 3 foot piece of it ended up being the first "small wonder in nature's architecture" creation that I created.

Shortly thereafter I was discovered by the editors of Doll Crafter and Miniature Collector magazines which did an article on each one. The magazine's creative director and photographer, Bill Latocki (www.latocki.com), was able to capture the beauty in a way that made the readers of those 2 magazines really take notice.

All of this was fun and encouraged me on. People liked them. I mean, they really liked them!

I tried all kinds of wood. Cypress knees, real root systems, stumps, and now I am playing with Bird’s Eye Maple. They are all one of a kind. Each one tells you what you can do with it. I like water, so a lot of them are either, on islands in Crystal Lake, or on the edge of Crystal Lake. (As the story goes, the gnomes mine crystals from Crystal Lake).

They are carved on a 1/2 inch-to-a -foot scale. Set on an electrified turntable with light bulbs, lanterns, windows, and basic parts that give the gnomes a homey feel. Preserved pre-bonsai for trees and bushes and water that won’t spill!

Owners of my art can add their own story to these "homes". The doll house and miniature industries have a huge supply of accessories so you can personalize them to your liking.

I have always thought in the back of my head, that I would like to have been an architect. So, this is my shot at it. And I enjoy it. Hope you do to."

At the bottom of this page is a photo gallery of my studio and materials. Enjoy the photos and please do not hesitate to contact me with questions and feedback. I'd love to hear from you.
Go to my CONTACT FORM

Over 28 years.
As my serious passion for working with chunks of raw wood grew and grew I became addicted to this art form. Now over 28 years later the collection of pieces and awards have really stacked up. You can now own one of these amazing works of nature's "art-chitecture"!

Never ending search.
I go for walks in the woods behind my home and never come back empty handed. Yes, I take a basket with me! Also when I travel somewhere I search for the natural elements known to that region of the country. My collection of elements is outstanding and a must-have.

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The perfect little part.
Things most folks take for granted or don't even see I tend to pick up and treasure. The awesomeness of it all is in the details and textures. When I am creating a piece I have access to 1,000's of little things that make it all just perfect. I am addicted to this and love it.