He may be technically retired from the professional carver’s life, but North Bend woodcarver Adi Hienzsch put his tools to use this year, logging uncounted hours on a 14-piece krippe, or Christmas nativity scene, for his family.

Originally from Garmisch, a city in Bavaria, Adi moved to the Valley about 45 years ago with his wife Eva.

A dedicated painter and carver, Adi’s old-world craftsmanship made him a commissioned artist whose work in wood, from doors and furniture to pipe heads and coats of arms, can be found across the United States and Canada, from Alaska to Hawaii.

Adi’s krippe creations, on display in his showroom at 14410 436th Ave. S.E., across from Cascade Golf Course, are reminiscent of the Orient. That makes them a bit different from old-country krippe found in Bavaria, which are often done in a Bavarian architectural style in which the stable and inn in the scene look like European buildings, not like those of ancient Palestine.

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