Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Morgan Stroope. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Morgan, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I started woodworking after becoming a mom for the first time to our oldest son in 2019. It came at a great time. I was a new stay at home mom and I desperately needed an outlet. At first, I had a few simple tools and little to no experience woodworking. I always loved crafting and being creative but never to this extent. My first projects were gifts for friends and family. It felt special to put time and energy into something I enjoyed and then gift that to someone I love. As time went on, I added more tools to my little shop and started trying new techniques. I experimented with different types of wood and finished. New tools made the possibilities endless my creativity was expanding. The little one car garage shop turned into a full basement shop. And before I knew it, I was making things that I never thought I could.
I had, and still have, moments of impostor syndrome that stand in my way at times. I don’t have any formal training and I am fairly new to the woodworking world. But then I remember how far I’ve come and how much love I have for wood art. I am proud of myself and what I have accomplished.

Morgan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a wife to my amazing husband James and a mom to our 2 boys, Landon and Carter. Woodworking started as a creative outlet for me as a new mom. It was so nice to have something for myself. A way to express myself and direct my creative energy.
Art was always important to me and a big part of my life. Working with wood was new though so that was a fun challenge.
I started out with simple wood mosaic designs and worked my way up to more intricate projects. Now I can make just about anything, from custom name/business signs to headboard and detailed art pieces.
A lot of what I do is custom work. It’s fun to collaborate with the client and figure out the perfect piece for them. I also enjoy making projects for myself and seeing how far I can push the boundaries.
I’m proud of where I’m at with my business. I have learned so much and discovered a lot about myself. Being a stay at home mom while woodworking is a dream for me and I feel so lucky to be living it.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

When woodworking came into my life, it was simply something fun for me to do. While that is still true, things have also shifted and I have new goals set for myself. I would love to grow my business to help support my family. Taking my art from a hobby to a profitable business is challenging. But I have already made steps in that direction and I can’t wait to see where it ends up. My next step will be creating a website where pieces can be displayed and listed for sale. Stay tuned for that!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I feel the most rewarded when problem solving during the creative process. I will often run into moments where I am trying something for the first time and it feels great to accomplish something new. Since I am mostly self taught, there have been numerous opportunities for growth and there still are everyday. Starting at, “Oh man, I don’t know if I can do this.” to, “Wow! I did it!” is the most rewarding aspect of being a wood artist.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @mccallswoodworks