Nature of Things

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Viola, WI
Nature of Things

We are Ken and Michelle Workowski.

Our business, The Nature of Things,
works with the raw beauty of nature
and creates practical furnishings
to please all of your senses.

06/26/2026

"To inspire and give voice to Nature"
This is what we are all about here at The Nature of Things.

Come see us this weekend at the Spring Green Art Fair

Booth 61B
Jefferson St in Spring Green
Saturday 9-5
Sunday 9-4

06/17/2026

As if celebrating 40 years on this land wasn’t special enough, nature had one more surprise in store for us.

While kayaking down the Kickapoo River with the whole family, Ken shared that it was exactly 40 years since we first arrived here on June 15, 1986.

At that very moment, we looked up and saw a spectacular double sun dog surrounding the sun. The photos capture it beautifully—the bright halo and the outer band stretching across the sky like a horizontal rainbow.

We’re not sure what the odds are, but the timing felt pretty remarkable. A family gathered together, reflecting on a journey that’s spanned generations, and then a beautiful reminder overhead that some moments are worth pausing for.

Nature has a way of adding its own punctuation marks to life’s milestones.

This one felt like an exclamation point.

06/16/2026

Forty years ago today, we moved onto this chunk of land with three young children, a few tents, and a dream. On June 15, 1986, there were no buildings - just a family beginning a new chapter and figuring things out one day at a time.

Four decades later, the tents are gone, the kids are grown, and in their place stands the sugar shack, where we’ve spent the last 16+ years turning spring sap into maple syrup and creating even more memories together.

This photo tells the story better than words - we recreated a family picture taken here 40 years ago. The faces, generations, and landscape have changed, but the things that matter most remain the same: family, hard work, laughter, and gratitude for this place we call home.

Forty years of building, growing, gathering, and making memories. What a journey it has been.

Here’s to the past, the present, and whatever comes next.

06/15/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who came by, our sponsors, and the entire Winding Roads team for an incredible weekend. We loved every minute of it.

And now... Ken has entered power-saving mode. 😴

Sunday evening found him exactly where you’d expect after a full weekend on the road—legs up, couch claimed, battery at 1%.

We couldn’t have done it without all of you. Thank you!

06/14/2026

What a joy to share our art and home, meet new friends, and connect with so many wonderful people today. The beauty of the Driftless and the conversations along the way make this tour so special.

Day 2 of the Winding Roads Art Tour is tomorrow! We’d love to see you at Stop 4 from 10 AM–4 PM.

06/13/2026

It’s finally happening and on such a beautiful weekend! Still 2 hours left in the day - stop by and see us at Stop 4.

06/10/2026

A Tale of Two Tables

Not every table starts with a story like this.

These black walnut slab tables showcase incredible grain and natural character, with the two halves opening like a book to reveal what was hidden inside.

At the center, a custom copper planter cradles a living succulent garden, creating a focal point that changes and grows with time.

The result is more than a table - part furniture, part living landscape, and entirely one of a kind.

Want more of the story? Come join us at the this weekend. We’d love to see you!

The Winding Roads Art Tour
Stop 4
June 13-14
10am-4pm

06/08/2026

Some roots are too interesting to leave in the ground.

This lamp begins with a remarkable root system that spreads outward at the base, while three trunks reach upward to support a handmade paper shade filled with leaves.

A little bit of the forest, reimagined.

You’ll find it at Stop 4 of the Winding Roads Art Tour this weekend. Hope to see you there!

06/07/2026

Confessions of a self-proclaimed wood weirdo: sometimes the smallest pieces are the most fun to make.

Created as a birthday gift for my other 3/4s, this little bee is made from walnut, an acorn cap, burl wood, and a seed pod.

Simple materials, inspired by the small details found in nature.

Happy Sunday.

06/06/2026

Birch bark baskets, from forest floor to finished piece.

These pieces of birch bark were found naturally hollowed after the tree had died, with no seams and their shape already intact.

Not every piece of bark offers this kind of opportunity. With a little help from nature, much of the form was already there.

Michelle transformed them into baskets by fitting a plywood bottom into each one and finishing the rims with hand-stitched hickory inner bark.

The natural bends, cracks, and tears were left in place, giving each piece its own character and preserving the story of the tree it came from.

We’ll have these at the Winding Roads Art Tour, June 13–14, Stop 4, 10am–4pm. If past tours are any indication, they may not be there for long.

Address

S5706 County Road SS
Viola, WI
54664

Website

http://www.natureofthingsonline.com/

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