Malcolm Sharp

wood

Currahee Twisted Sticks was born from a love of the outdoors and a talent for drawing, carving and sculpting. One afternoon while walking through the woods, Malcolm Sharp and his wife spotted a small twisted tree standing out by itself. His wife said, “You should cut that down and make a walking stick”. So, a while later, that’s what he did. After letting it dry, Sharp began to carve it. The twist in the wood looked a little like a snake, so that’s what it became. Sharp has started selling them at art shows, arts & crafts fairs and most recently, reptile shows.

In his spare time, Sharp hikes through the woods of northeast Georgia looking for small trees that have a vine growing around them causing the tree to bulge and twist as it grows. Once they are cut down, the trees have to dry for about year before the carving begins. The carving takes anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months depending on the complexity of the design. Most of the coloring is done in stains except for the brighter colors and some white which is done in paint. Sharp uses whatever it takes to get the carving done, from knives and chisels, razor blades, dremel tool, pocket knife, and lots of sanding. Many of the tools and burs/bits he uses are handmade by Sharp. His walking sticks are all wood, one solid piece, no taxidermy or snake skin added. While most people display their sticks as art, they are functional walking sticks.

“Sticks can be custom ordered to a particular species, or even be made to replicate your own pet snake! Should you ever break your stick or it becomes worn out, scuffed or chipped just pay shipping and send it back and I will do my best to restore it free of charge.”