Welcome
My name is Chris Line. I’m the craftsman behind From the Heartwood. All of my working life I’ve planted, trimmed, cut, shaped, and built with wood. I have been turning wood on a lathe for more than three decades, but work limited the time I could devote to crafting from the heart, allowing only friends and family to enjoy my creations. Now, after 31 years working as a union carpenter, I am now retired, giving me the opportunity to share my art with others.
Each birdhouse I make is a unique, one-of-a-kind creation, as both the stains (if used) and the wood itself will vary each time. While all of my birdhouses share a similar style, I don’t use any patterns or measurements when making them, so none of my birdhouses are identical. When you purchase one of my works, you are the only one to call that item yours.
NOTE: Because it takes time to complete each birdhouse, my inventory is not huge. You can view it under the “My Artwork” tab above. When an item is sold, I leave it pictured on the site for a time with a “sold” label. This allows shoppers a chance to see the different works I make. If an item you want is already sold, don’t worry: chances are a similar new item will be available soon.
About the wood
Never judge a log by its bark. I believe beauty can be found anywhere if you look hard enough. That’s why I use “rescue logs” for all of my art. These are logs that are typically destined for the mulch grinder or the burn pile. One of my favorite parts of the process is taking these simple logs and unwrapping them, bringing out the beautiful heartwood within. Recently, for instance, I’ve been using silver maple and pine I saved from the last job site I worked on before my retirement. The walnut I’m using right now is from logs that were about to become someone’s firewood. I’ve even been able to make artwork from tree limbs downed by storms or powerline clearance.
Some of the higher-priced wood turned products that you see for sale from others are made with rare/exotic wood from harvested trees, both foreign and domestic. Some of this wood is cut down illegally from either private and public lands. I never do this. In fact, I’ve never harvested any living trees for my artwork. I prefer to use wood that often contains “defects” such as cracks, knots, or sometimes winding threads that were etched into the wood by insects. This is because imperfections are a natural part of wood. I take great care to ensure that each imperfection makes the final product more unique, more beautiful, and more special. And I’m committed to ensuring that the photos of each product include these imperfections so you know what you’re buying.