Thomas Bordier Wood Sculptor Behind Shadawatom
about me
I’m Thomas Bordier, the woodcarver behind Shadawatom.
Born in France and based in Prague since 2005, I create expressive wooden figures inspired by mythology, folklore, legends and imagined characters. My work sits somewhere between traditional carving and contemporary power carving, combining saws, rotary tools, chisels, fire, colour and hand finishing.
What interests me most is not simply carving a recognizable figure, but giving it a presence — a face, a gaze and a story that suggest something larger than the sculpture itself.
I strive to create carvings that evoke a strong sense of a larger narrative, with each piece telling a part of my vision. The titles I give my works are an integral part of this storytelling, adding depth and context to my creations.
From drawing to carving
I have always been drawn to making things by hand. Drawing and painting came first, but wood had a special place in my imagination from childhood, particularly during summers spent with my grandparents in Northern Bohemia.
I finally began carving seriously during the COVID period, first through simple whittling and hand tools. Very quickly, I became interested in larger forms and started experimenting with rotary tools, saws, axes and other power tools.
Today, I rarely work from ready-made patterns. Most pieces begin with my own sketches, which allows me to develop each character from the first idea through to the final surface and expression.
Shadawatom
Shadawatom is the name I use for my carving work and the world around it.
The sculptures often draw from mythology and folklore Czech legends, Greek myths, Nordic stories and other traditions but I am less interested in reproducing familiar images than in creating my own interpretation of a character.
Faces are especially important in my work. I spend a lot of time on expression, eyes, texture and surface treatment, using the natural character of the wood together with burning, oils, paint and other finishes to give each piece its own atmosphere.
A mix of hand tools and power tools
I do not define my work by a single technique.
A piece may begin with a saw or chainsaw to remove large amounts of material, then move through rotary carving, chisels, axe work, sanding and fine detailing. The final stages may include burning, acrylic paint, oils or lacquer.
For me, tools are simply different ways of reaching the same goal: bringing a character out of the wood while preserving some of the material’s rawness and irregularity.
An evolving body of work
Shadawatom is still evolving.
I am gradually developing a body of work centred on mythical figures, legends and expressive characters, while continuing to experiment with new tools, finishes and forms.
Some pieces take weeks or months to complete. I share much of that process on Instagram — from the first sketch and rough carving to mistakes, changes of direction and the finished sculpture.
If you enjoy mythology, wood, sculpture or simply watching an idea slowly become a physical object, you are very welcome to follow the journey.