Scott Zuziak, nature enthusiast, has been carving and woodworking since the early 90s. He specializes in custom wood signs for homes and businesses, and rustic furniture.

Zuziak says, “I love the outdoors, the national parks, road trips, and my favorite pastime is canoeing down a lazy river.” His love of nature influences all his work and even the name of his business.

Here’s how Zuziak describes his sign-making process:

“I begin by hand picking and purchasing pine or cedar free of defects. The lumber is delivered to my shop and prepared by planing both sides of each plank and ripping on a table to ensure smooth and square building blocks. I then laminate all the pieces. Laminating allows for those highly desired, beefy slabs of wood. The main shapes of the sign are routed in an automated process. When the main shape is carved, I begin hand carving the scenery. This is the most rewarding part of making a wooden sign. After the scenery and sculptures are carved and sanded, I begin the text. An outline of the text is machined, and the letters and the surrounding surfaces are hand finished using gouges and chisels. The text turns out perfectly each and every time, and I can carve any font. Finally, I complete the custom wooden sign by finishing with multi-tone stains and/or with acrylic. Airbrushing techniques are utilized for a special shading effect. The end product: a custom wood sign that is of the highest quality and completely unique…and one that you will be proud to hang on your business or home.”

Here is where the magic happens:

Here are some samples of his signs:

I first came across Zuziak’s work when I was searching for handcrafted furniture on Etsy.com. Here is what made me take a closer look:

 

But look at this drop-dead gorgeous instrument he made:

 

Would you like to watch Zuziak at work? Here he is, building and customizing a camper trailer:

To see more of Zuziak’s work, visit the Lazy River Studio website and Etsy shop.