Knotty is nice this year

Carol McGaughey

STEVEN LINDSEY | Contributing writer
StevenCraigLindsey@gmail.com

When elementary music teacher Carol McGaughey put away her metronome once and for all in 2022, she ended up with a lot of extra time on her hands. So she found something to do with all that time.

During her education career, she often built the sets for her students’ shows, so she knew how to work with wood. “I loved the creative outlet, so I started making birdhouses. It was fun for a really short time,” she noted. “A family member does woodworking as a hobby and makes cutting boards, charcuterie boards, etc. So, I thought if he could do it, so could I.”

After she made about 50 boards, McGaughey realized she didn’t need to keep all of them for her and her wife, Lori Hall, to use. Plus, wood is expensive. So to keep fueling her art, she started selling the boards, and The Knotty Bark blossomed from there.

“I came up with the name and had the logo made,” she said. “I started signing up for shows, and that’s where I am now.

“The ‘Bark’ in the name is not just the bark of the trees, but the bark of a dog,” she added.

“My wife and I love dogs and foster dogs through an organization called Dallas Pets Alive.

We love it and wanted to incorporate that in the name.”

Functionality is McGaughey’s priority.

“I want people to use my boards, so I want something attractive but usable. I want people to feel a connection to the wood and the patterns and feel that connection as they cut or set out a server or charcuterie,” she says.

When creating boards, McGaughey always considers the types of wood she has, the grain pattern and the color.

“Some patterns and colors look great together, and others not so much. I start out on paper. I decide the size and the wood, and then I draw it all out. I really enjoy that part,” she said.

“Once I come up with a board I like, then I hit the shop and start. I will say that as I start getting into it, many times my plans go awry, and I end up with something completely different. But that’s ok; it’s part of the process.”

During the three years she’s been operating The Knotty Bark, McGaughey has crafted boards in the shape of Texas and the Millennium Falcon. She’s adorned others with rainbows, dog paws and intricate geometric patterns.

“Once the board is completed, I get to my favorite part, which is naming them. I love to come up with punny names,” she said. “I admit the internet and ChatGPT have helped a lot. Some of my board names have been ‘Hello, Is it Me You’re Cooking For?,’ ‘Chop It Like It’s Hot’ and ‘Be Afraid, Be Cherry Afraid.’”

Most of her pieces are one-of-a-kind, and everything’s handmade without using a laser or CNC machine.

“Rarely do I reproduce the same board exactly. However, if someone wanted me to make several of the same board, I would do that,” McGaughey remarked. “While I create a lot of cutting boards and charcuterie boards, they’re all different in some way. I can also make coasters, trivets and a few other wood products.

“My wife also does some turning, and I sell a few of her things, too.”

Sounds like the beginning of a beautiful new chapter. n

Her boards range from $30-$175 and are available at The-Knotty-Bark.square.site.