Written By Wendy Hobday Haugh  |  Photos Provided

[From the 2025 Fall Magazine]

Adirondack WoodSpirits birdhouses with Holland's signature roof hatching.

Holland’s carvings are inspired by the early European legend of the Wood Spirit, a powerful, benevolent, often mischievous woodland guardian, credited with protecting flora, fauna, and forest travelers. Wise sojourners often carved images of wood spirits on their walking sticks in hopes of appeasing the spirits and assuring safe travels.

“I love being in the woods and being in the Adirondacks,” says Holland, “and I appreciate the folklore. Wood spirits are unique, and they don’t have to be perfect because no one really knows what they look like. If you’re carving a bear or an owl, it has to look a certain way. But what does a wood spirit look like? It’s open to interpretation. I can mess up a wood spirit, and it can still be perfect.”

After initially donating his carvings to local animal shelters to aid their fundraising efforts, Holland was blown away when people began contacting him, wanting to purchase a piece. Although his wood spirit birdhouses and walking sticks are top sellers, Holland’s inventory gradually has grown to include gnomes, tiki torches, lamps, planters, solar fountains, and another fan favorite: ‘stumpkins.’

“Stumpkins are pumpkins made out of tree stumps,” he explains, “and they’re very popular. Halloween is my favorite time of the year, and, eventually, I’d love to explore carving even more Halloween-themed items.”

Stumpkins—pumpkins carved from stumps!—are Holland's Halloween specialty.

Krissy Gillmore is always happy to help Chuck at his shows.

Holland’s fiancée, Krissy Gillmore, is his number one fan and supporter. “Krissy has her own printing company, Ricmar Design and Print Shop, on Main St. in Gloversville, but she continually helps me out at shows and with behind-the-scenes things like billing and taxes. I originally purchased the woodworking tools for Krissy because she was interested in trying her hand at it. But, ultimately, she didn’t take it up—and I did!”

In addition to participating in up to 80 farmers markets and craft fairs annually, Holland currently is in the process or rehabbing a four-floor building on Main Street, Gloversville, across from the Glove Theater. “Our new property will include my basement woodshop, Krissy’s first-floor print business, two Airbnb apartments on the second floor, and possibly our own living space up top. This fall, I hope to be all set up down there so I can start carving in the open air where people can watch me work. There’s a lot of foot traffic around the Glove Theater, so I’m looking forward to becoming more visible.”

Holland works with a variety of different woods, including cottonwood, cottonwood bark, pine, cedar, and driftwood. “Honestly, I’ll use anything free that I can salvage. I love going down to the river and gathering driftwood or finding cedar branches or logs at the brush dump. I also obtain scrap wood from generous neighbors and builders.

“I really enjoy salvaging and repurposing wood. Buy a board at the store, and it’s just a board. But you find something lying around or something that’s been floating around in the river, and it has a distinctive shape that you’ll never find again. As I’m carving each piece of wood, I often think about where it came from and what its story might be. Even a unique piece with a natural crack may be transformed into one wood spirit eye emerging from the wood. The possibilities are endless. You just have to use your imagination and work with each individual piece.”

Holland sometimes leaves ‘free-to-finder’ carved gifts hidden in Mother Nature. “I love leaving walking sticks in the woods or along hiking trails. I’ve even left them in outhouses. Sometimes I’ll put messages on Facebook, giving clues to their location. After finding them, people sometimes reach out to me, thanking me. It’s a lot of fun for everyone.”

Looking back, Chuck Holland cannot believe how his life has changed since 2020. But, happily, he finds his Adirondack WoodSpirits venture every bit as satisfying as his martial arts career. 

“Jujitsu was intensely physical and expended a lot of energy, so when the gyms closed I found myself filling with a lot of negative energy. But when I started carving, I found it to be surprisingly soothing. After carving a couple of hours, I felt tired, productive, and happy. All that negative energy and stress was gone.

“Since beginning Adirondack WoodSpirits, I’ve had some sleepless nights,” he reflects, “wondering how I’m going to make it, financially. But, then, I’ve done shows where I’ve sold so many pieces, I almost tear up. I just cannot believe that people are willing to give me their hard-earned money in exchange for these carvings. But when I see people walk past my booth and immediately break out grinning, it’s just the best feeling. I love the fact that my wood spirit carvings can make people smile and laugh. We all need more of that these days. It’s a wonderful thing to see.”

Check out Holland’s work on Instagram or at facebook.com/adkwoodspirits/. Contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (518) 705-4699.