My name is Thad. I’m English and have been living in Romagna, Italy since 2008. In search of further adventures after much travelling and university, I was lured to Italy for its delicious food and wine, rather more favourable climate and rich history.
One of my dreams was to live in a typical country house in the hills and in 2018 this dream came true as I found one such place above the quiet town of Castrocaro Terme. This wonderful house, with its land, olive grove and breathtaking views gave me the possibility to realise another dream of mine: to let my creative juices flow through wood, and so Roots Live Love Legno was born.
Trees and woodcraft have always accompanied me through my life, and not just because my father was a carpenter. I still remember my first ever object made with wood at school at the age of 11, a matchbox holder; a funny thing to make, no doubt, but it was this element which connected with me somehow and woodwork became my favourite subject. For 12 years I worked backstage in the theatre in London and this gave me the chance to occasionally build something practical and to get my hands on wood. Away from work, much of my free time was and continues to be spent in nature, camping, getting lost in woods and breathing the fresh air and calm that only mother nature can provide. For a few years now I’ve been working on myself and following a life coach who helps me to connect with myself and the world around me, and working wood has been essential to this process.
I’ve been an English teacher for many years now and I love transmitting and sharing what I know, and so with Roots I can combine these two important elements that have served to shape my life thus far, offering my artistic expression through wood and inspiring through my sculpture and wood therapy courses.