The Carver Behind the Wood
If you've got a story you'd like told in wood — a gift for someone dear, a keepsake, or a character from your own imagination — I'd be honored to carve it for you. Every custom piece starts with a conversation.
I'm Dave Mallarkey Sr., a carpenter from Pennsylvania's Back Mountain, and I found woodcarving back in 2001 in the unlikeliest way — my father-in-law spotted a little notice in the newspaper for a local carving club and thought I might like it. I went along out of curiosity, picked up a knife, and I haven't really put it down since.
What started as a curious evening out became a calling. I'll never forget taking first place with a duck carving at an artisan craft show — not because of the ribbon, but because it told me this was something I was meant to do. The Lord has a way of opening doors you didn't even know you were knocking on.
Twenty-five years on, I carve folk art, wildlife, and storybook characters right here from my workshop. I count this craft among my greatest blessings, and I tell stories through wood the way my people always have — plain, honest, and from the heart.