Carved to outlive us all.
Decorative Craftsman in Wood in Iowa
When you choose me, Alexander Grabovetskiy, as your custom wood carver, you’re not just getting a service; you’re entering a relationship. I believe in giving something back to my clients. After all, a satisfied customer might just send their friends my way, and we all know how much wood carving needs good word of mouth!
If you decide to collaborate with me, you will see how dedicated I am to quality. I feel proud of each thing I create and make sure every project shows my commitment. When you put your money into top-notch work, you can count on me to keep delivering great results.
Lots of pleased clients from different countries have picked my services and share wonderful stories. When possible customers see those fantastic reviews, they feel good about their decision. Just imagine—if someone next door talks well about my work, wouldn’t you want to join in too?
With many years of experience, I have the authority that comes from countless successful projects. My expertise means I understand the nuances of wood carving better than most. So why not trust someone who has been recognized in the industry as a go-to artisan?
Let’s face it: who doesn’t enjoy a little charm? I believe that personality matters just as much as skill. When we work together, you'll find me approachable and easy to collaborate with—plus, I’ve been told my jokes are as solid as my carvings!
Hurry up because beautiful wood carvings are very popular! If you take too long, you might lose the chance to get a special piece made just for you. After all, no one wants to be the person who says, “I should’ve bought that carving when I could!”
Finally, let’s cherish our mutual love for art and creating things. When you get a piece made by me, we join forces in creativity. Together, we’ll craft something that beautifies your area and tells your unique story.
In the studio
From first sketch to installed carving.
Every commission for Iowa, and for clients worldwide, follows the same path: from the first conversation to the finished piece, set in place.
- 01
We talk it through
Every commission begins with a conversation: your drawings, photographs, or a rough idea, and the room the piece will live in.
- 02
Drawing & estimate
I draw the ornament to scale and send a clear estimate and timeline. No wood is cut until the design and the price are agreed.
- 03
The carving
At the bench, in the living tradition of the old masters.
- 04
Crated & delivered
The finished carving is sealed, crated, and shipped ready to install, matched seamlessly to existing millwork when it must join older work.
A standard machines cannot reach.
Serving Iowa architects, designers, and churches, with carved work in private estates and museums worldwide.
Forty years at the bench
Four decades of architectural and ornamental commissions for clients worldwide.
Woodcarver of the Year
Named International Woodcarver of the Year in 2012 by the Woodworkers Institute.
One of the best wood carvers in the world.NewsCenter Maine (NBC), 2021
Decorative Craftsman in Wood in Iowa
Do you take decorative craftsman in wood commissions in Iowa?+
Yes. I create architectural and ornamental carving for clients in Iowa and around the world, crated and shipped ready to install. Most commissions begin with a short conversation about your project, drawings, or reference images.
What kinds of wood carving do you make?+
Baroque and Rococo ornament, architectural carving (capitals, corbels, friezes, mantels, panels and doors), pipe-organ cases and shades, Grinling-Gibbons-style foliage, figural reliefs, mirror and picture frames, and bespoke furniture carving.
How long does a commissioned carving take?+
It depends on size and detail. A single ornament can take a couple of weeks, while a full architectural scheme runs several months. You get a clear timeline with the estimate, before any work begins.
Can you match an existing carving or a historical style?+
Yes. I regularly reproduce or extend historical work and match existing millwork, so a new piece sits seamlessly beside the old, period-correct in tool, profile, and finish.
Do you work with architects and interior designers?+
Constantly. I collaborate from drawings and CAD, provide samples, and carve to spec for residential, ecclesiastical, and commercial projects in Iowa and beyond.
Foliage and lace, cut from a single block.
The same hand that carves for Iowa carves for private estates and museums worldwide.
The work as historical study
Every commission starts as a research project, not just an order. Before a single cut, the work is to study the piece: to trace a motif back to its period and its masters, to understand how the hand that first carved it thought and moved, and to carry a vanishing skill forward into a new piece, the way carvers have worked for centuries.
A carving from this studio is, for that reason, one of a kind: an interpretation of a historical style, never a copy stamped from a pattern. The grain of the wood, the line of the leaf, the depth of the undercut all record a study and a hand, and no two are ever the same. The studio doesn’t sell a mass-produced object. It delivers a finished carving with the scholarship, the design, and a lifetime of skill behind it. Every piece also keeps a little of a centuries-old art from being lost.
Commission carved work.
Tell me about your project: a single ornament or a full architectural scheme.
Discuss Your Vision