Door County, Wis., woodworker Erik Rinkleff learned to carve in 1998. He was instantly hooked and now enjoys carving a variety of subjects, including Santas and snowmen, country characters, gnomes and wood spirits.

Erik doesn't use power tools or power carvers. Each of his pieces is a one-of-a-kind, hand-carved original made of butternut or basswood harvested in Wisconsin.

Erik paints each piece with acrylics and then dips it in a boiled linseed oil mixture to help preserve it and to mute the colors. Next, Erik brushes on a dark liquid wax to provide a rich, antique-like appearance. He then coats each piece with a clear lacquer finish, resulting in a treasure that will last a lifetime.

Erik is the assistant director at The Clearing, a folk school in Ellison Bay, Wis., where he teaches classes both in woodcarving and in making rustic furniture.