Aaron McCarty
From 2014 to 2016 Aaron McCarty interned at Haiku Bamboo nursery with Keiji Oshima. Keiji studied under the mentorship of Dr. Koichiro Ueda, a well-known Japanese scholar known globally as “Dr. Bamboo.” Dr. Ueda was recognized throughout the world as one of the leading authorities on bamboo and was awarded the prestigious Order of the Sacred Treasure by the Emperor of Japan.
During his internship, Aaron learned how to manage bamboo in the landscape. More importantly, Aaron was taught some of the culture of bamboo craftsmanship as practiced in Japan. Under the mentorship of Keiji Oshima, Aaron learned numerous skills including how to properly cure and treat bamboo canes, how to prepare bamboo for the table, how to make and play shakuhachi flutes, as well as how to split bamboo with a traditional Japanese bamboo splitting blade (takewaribocho) for use in weaving bamboo baskets. Aaron has been making bamboo baskets since 2015.
In 2023 he opened a bamboo business called Carolina Bamboo with his wife Wendy McCarty. Shortly after opening Carolina Bamboo Aaron met and was briefly mentored by Nancy Basket. Nancy put kudzu in Aaron’s hand and taught him the ways of the zu. Shortly after that meeting the “Kuboo Basket” was born. The “kuboo basket” is a basket made from wildcrafted kudzu and bamboo and is Aaron’s own creation. Since opening Carolina Bamboo Aaron has begun teaching in the primitive skill sharing community of the Carolinas by teaching folks how to make a kuboo basket at EarthSkills Rendezvous as well as at Firefly. Aaron has also been teaching about bamboo and kudzu at local Spartanburg area schools as well as within the Spartanburg County Public Library system. He’s currently in partnership with the Spartanburg Art Museum and has other teaching engagements on the horizon.
Email Aaron at: Aa***@************oo.org
Wendy mccarty
Wendy is the marketing and media manager for Carolina Bamboo. She is an avid lover of nature, arts and crafts and working creatively with children. Wendy holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications and Photography from Gardner-Webb University. She has 22 years of experience as a professional photographer and currently works as a freelancer. Many of the images seen on the Carolina Bamboo website were taken by Wendy.
Wendy is wildly creative and artistic and has studied many art forms. She works closely with children in her community as a children’s assistant at the local public library. She is also the creator of the “FinBuoy Games,” an outdoor challenge that engages children in obstacle courses and team-building exercises. The FinBuoy games are modeled after the popular television series, “Survivor,” as a condensed and re-purposed version of the game-show that children and adults can actively participate in without being voted out.
Email Wendy at: We***@************oo.org
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