Photos provided by Benjamin Leatham
Using salvaged and reclaimed locally sourced woods from Minnesota, master woodworker Benjamin Leatham produces turned bowls and kitchen tools worthy of a gallery but fit for everyday use. After a career in restaurants, Leatham turned to his passion for woodworking full-time when relocating to Minnesota in 2015. When he couldn’t find the right tool for wok cooking, he set out to make his own.
Today, his work with Cannon River Bowl & Spoon includes stunning sculpted kitchen tools and small-batch, turned wood bowls. When asked how he wants people to feel when they use his goods, he remarks, “I’ve always felt most at peace outside. When someone uses one of my pieces of functional art, I hope people think of the life of the tree—what it has experienced and endured. I want everyone to experience the connection to nature that we all share.”
Midwest Home features local makers in each issue via The Collective. Find more on midwesthome.com/thecollective. Curated by Jerrod Sumner, founder of Brandtabulous, a Minneapolis-based marketing and brand storytelling agency that specializes in promoting American makers, including the one featured on this page. brandtabulous.com
