Many Del Ray residents and beyond know Nat Chester, Market 2 Market’s self-styled “resident beer guru,” who curates the beer selection and weekly tastings. But do you know about the miniature wood carvings he sculpts from tools he makes himself?

           

Whittling since about 12 years old, his style evolved in his late teens and spun out from there. On walks around the neighborhood, he noticed the occasional street sweeper bristle by the roadside. Examining them, he realized that with their consistent width, they would make good carving tools. “Once you know what to look for,” he says, “you start seeing them everywhere.”

He’s made many cutting implements from them, along with other scrap metals, sharpening and fitting them into wood handles he also makes.

 

The wood he uses for these carvings is all foraged, from logs found on Fisher’s Island in New York where he vacationed many summers to large branches downed by recent storms. He favors varieties of hard maple like Norwegian and sugar maple for their ability to hold edges and for their grain pattern.

 

Carving his creations is very meditative. He hews the first, rougher parts of his art while he goes on long walks, a combination of actions great for his mental health. In 2015, he started walking with a Fit Bit and has met his goal of 5 miles a day for over a decade.

 

Nat’s designs aren’t inspired by anything in particular. He says, “My pixel-like style emerged as a happy side-effect of the tools I was making and using. I like being able to make those hard edges and right angles emulate something more fluid and curved.” He has carved many that are symmetrical, but sometimes tries something different, and they’ve become more intricate and challenging. “They’ve been getting smaller and, frankly, more ridiculous,” he says with a laugh.

Some pieces take a month to complete, others a day and a half, depending on available time. Some he’s put aside, coming back to them years later.

                                                           

He’s made several as gifts but has no desire to sell them. He dislikes the idea that hobbies exist only to monetize. In June 2024, he had to say goodbye to his family dog of 17 years and developed a paw print design he gifted to his parents. He has since made a number of these paws, some commissioned, for other friends and families going through the loss of a pet.

 

Nat has dabbled in clay, stone, paint, photography, metalwork, and drawing, and his creativity extends to his craft beer expertise also. When he presides over a tasting, he first gathers information about the beers, then samples the flights himself, taking nuanced notes on flavor profile and sampling order. Attendees compliment him on his descriptions and often say they prefer his to the formal ones.

 

He appreciates having been able to mold his job to his talents over the years. He does graphic design work for Market 2 Market via social media posts, a weekly beer newsletter, and posters.

 

We’re fortunate to be able to watch Nat Chester’s artistry take flight in many forms.