Jim Karl

An engineer by training Jim has been doing carpentry and woodworking informally for as long as he can remember. Whether it was a big project like building his home in Vermont, or making gifts for friends and family, he has long enjoyed the simple act of creating something of quality, that was visually appealing.  Wood has always been Jim’s preferred medium. The problem solving and creativity required to work with rough cut or live edge wood, especially as it evolves through the finishing process, is perfect for the ‘engineering brain'. Jim formally established NC Live Edge, LLC in New Bern in 2021. He focuses on creating custom, small and medium format pieces for the local community.

Artist Statement

Although it is an overused phrase, I am definitely an ‘accidental artist'. I have always had strong visualization and creative skills, but for the first thirty-five years of so of my professional career I applied those skills to highly technical and financial fields at very large employers. As fate would have it, about 10 years ago I ended up in Wilmington, NC and accepted a job as the Executive Director at The Children’s Museum of Wilmington – a learning through play space. In order for the business to survive I was thrust into a role of creating exhibits and activities targeted for children younger than 10…as a result my creativity was focused on, in a word, creating fun. The outgrowth of this is that I realized I greatly enjoyed the process of creating works that were unique, visually appealing, and functional/interactive. About five years later I relocated to New Bern and began pouring my energies into woodworking, transitioning from hobbyist to artist. I began working, and then teaching, at Shop Class in New Bern. Over the last few years I have expanded from pure wood products, to those incorporating wood and resin. The resin work has been successful to the extent that I teach small format classes at Shop Class dedicated to resin work. Recently, my technical background has resurfaced in the form of my “elemental muses’ , boards presenting words or phrases spelled with the periodic table. Although targeting a nerdy and relatively limited audience, they have provided me with a median that drives a high level of client interaction. I do what I do because it is fun, and on occasion brings joy to others.