About Smithereens

My name is Skyler, the artist and woodsmith behind Smithereens.

I create original illuminated wood art from my workshop in Utah. My work combines sculptural relief, natural wood, and ambient light to create pieces that stand on their own during the day and transform the atmosphere of a room after dark.

I would love to say the name Smithereens came from some profound artistic revelation, but honestly, I mostly thought it was a cool name. It also became surprisingly fitting as the work evolved. The phrase most people know is “blown to smithereens,” which is part of why it stuck with me. There are no explosions in my shop, at least not on purpose, but watching a heavy-duty CNC router drop into solid hardwood can look a little like controlled chaos. To find the artwork hidden inside the lumber, you have to violently carve away the excess, literally turning pounds of raw wood into millions of tiny pieces (smithereens). Smithereens is about taking raw materials, unfinished ideas, and heavy lumber, blasting away the noise, and shaping the fragments into refined, precision artwork.

Each piece begins with an idea and is developed as a digital sculpture before being carved on my CNC. From there, I personally sand, shape, stain, paint, finish, wire, mount, and inspect every piece by hand. The CNC allows me to create depth and detail that would be almost impossible to achieve consistently with traditional tools alone, but the final character of each work comes through the decisions and finishing done in the shop.

Most Smithereens pieces are created as one-of-one originals or as part of small limited collections. They are not pulled from a factory catalog or produced continuously. The artwork shown is often the exact finished piece that will be delivered to its owner. Each original is signed and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

My path to the workshop was not a linear one. Before founding Smithereens, I built my career in Human Resources and earned Master’s degrees in Human Resources and Business Administration. That part of my life was grounded in systems, strategy, and the corporate world, but I continued to feel pulled toward work that was more tangible, creative, and personal.

Smithereens became the place where those two sides came together. I brought the discipline, planning, and attention to detail of my professional background into the workshop, then applied them to woodworking, digital sculpture, lighting, and design.

Because Smithereens is currently a one-person operation, I remain involved in every stage of the work. I develop the concept, prepare the material, create and refine the carving, apply the finish, install the lighting and mounting system, photograph the completed piece, and prepare it for delivery. (Don't forget the sanding, lots and lots of sanding.)

Nothing is rushed simply to produce more inventory. Every piece must meet the same standard from the front, the sides, and the back. The lighting must feel intentional. The mounting system must be secure and straightforward. The finished work should feel as carefully resolved as it looks.

I try to be thoughtful about the wood I use. Most of my work is made from durable hardwood selected for its strength, stability, and how well it carves and finishes. Where possible, I favor renewably grown hardwoods, including woods that have already served another purpose before becoming lumber. That lets me create substantial, long-lasting artwork without using a rarer or more expensive species simply for the name. I still use specialty woods when a piece calls for them, but I believe the design and finished work should create the value.

The result is more than an object used to fill an empty wall. It is an original piece of illuminated sculpture, created to hold attention, change the feeling of a room, and become part of the home around it.