About the Maker — Village Handcraft

Hello:

I’m Eric McIntyre, maker and shopkeeper of Village Handcraft. I think of myself as a curious human who loves to explore natural materials, hand tools, and the human capacity to create useful things. I launched the store in the fall of 2021 as a place to make handcrafted goods, share the joy of craft with visitors and students, and offer my finished goods for sale to anyone who walks in the door.

I first started using carving tools to shape chunks of wood for fun in middle school and my interest in handwork kept blossoming from there. One ‘I wonder if I could…?’ lead to the next ‘I bet I probably could…’ and I have simply continued to try out new tools and materials all along the way.

Eric McIntyre (he/him)
Maker & Shopkeeper

During the summer of 2018 I had the opportunity to intern at the Maine Coast Craft School in Bristol, ME, run by Kenneth and Angela Kortemeier. Kenneth’s patient and encouraging teaching across many skillsets - spoon and bowl carving, chair making, leather work, basket weaving, sharpening and tool care, timber framing - gave me a tremendous boost in both practical skill and understanding of natural materials. Kenneth and Angela’s willingness to welcome me into their school bolstered my courage to simply try new projects and sowed seeds of patience for the many errors and learning experiences ahead. This shop is one of those new projects.