Wood Carving
Carving traditions kept alive, family workshop to family workshop
Carving traditions kept alive in Ambalangoda
The southern town of Ambalangoda has been the heart of Sri Lankan wood carving for generations, best known for the vividly painted raksha masks used in traditional exorcism and folk-dance rituals — a craft passed almost entirely through apprenticeship, family workshop to family workshop.
We partner with three multi-generation carving workshops, sourcing sustainably harvested kaduru and jak wood and commissioning everything from ceremonial masks to furniture panels and decorative screens. Every piece is hand-tooled — no molds, no machine routing.
Select
Kaduru or jak logs are seasoned and inspected for grain suited to fine detail work.
Rough Carve
The core form is blocked out by hand with chisels and adzes — no machine routing.
Detail
Fine features — expressions, filigree, texture — are cut with narrow hand tools over days.
Finish
Natural pigments and lacquers are applied by hand, following patterns specific to each workshop.
