HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Another wonderful Artsfest has officially wrapped up in Harrisburg. There were so many great elements to the festival this year, including a wonderful local woodworker!

“It’s always nice to see when somebody’s excited about buying one of my bowls,” said Tom Ankrum, a local woodworker who makes bowls and other items.

But it wasn’t just Ankrum’s bowl that sold Elsa Yelk, an Artsfest patron.

“I liked talking to him, and I like that each bowl had a story behind it,” Yelk said.

“Every piece has a story is my kind of my own unofficial motto,” Ankrum added.

“One of the bowls was made from a tree his neighbor chopped down,” Yelk said.

“This actually came from my neighbor’s yard, believe it or not. He was going to burn the wood. And then he’s like, ‘Wait, no, I want that wood,’ and he said, sure, you know. I got two pieces and ended up making a bunch of stuff out of that,” Ankrum said,

“So I think that’s really awesome,” Yelk said.

Ankrum’s woodworking started as a hobby a long time ago.

“If there was a shop class available, I took it,” he said.

“It got to a point where family and friends said, ‘We don’t have any more room for the stuff. Start selling it,'” said Ankrum.

So he did. To anyone who would buy it, even if they don’t always use it as he imagined someone would.

“I had one guy, he bought a winged walnut bowl from me. He wanted to use it as an ashtray. I’m like, okay? I cringed a little bit in my head. Like an ashtray? No. But he bought it. It’s his. He’s paying me for it,” Ankrum shared.

Ankrum’s other job? Construction safety. That work comes and goes, and most recently: it went. Which was partly a blessing.

“This is more fun, of course. The part where I’m in the shop making the things is where I enjoy it,” Ankrum said.

And his woodworking pays enough.

“I’m a very frugal person, so you know, I don’t go partying every night,” he added.

Just occasionally.

“A wood-cutting party. It’s not the kind of party you’re thinking about, you know?” Ankrum said. “I love it when people buy my stuff. They appreciate my stuff.”