Who am I?

Throughout my life I’ve always had a vivid imagination and a rich inner world. For years, I often found myself more immersed in those imagined realms than in the reality around me, which sometimes made it difficult to stay fully present with this world.

In recent years, I’ve gained greater clarity about what truly matters in the brief time we have on this rock hurtling through space. I came to realize that I wanted to change how I live—to be more present with the people I love and to connect more deeply with the beautiful nature that surrounds us.

Through a gift from my partner, I discovered the art of woodcarving, which turned out to tick all the boxes for me. It engages my problem-solving mind as I shape wood to achieve the desired form. It fuels my creativity, allowing me to bring the creatures of my imagination to life and most importantly, it keeps me grounded, present, and connected to nature.

So, why Wooden Realms?

Wooden Realms began as a name I coined for the Modular TTRPG Tiles created in collaboration with The Dice Grove. Over time, the desire for simplicity and cohesion inspired me to bring all my woodcraft projects under the Wooden Realms name. It feels like a fitting choice, as the creations—maps, miniatures, and trinkets—are all deeply rooted in the worlds of fantasy and myth.

Also, besides woodcarving I love gardening, taking hikes, playing tabletop- and video games, foraging / growing mushrooms, drinking tea (gong fu cha) & coffee.

Cheers,

Samuel groot Wassink