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Culleoka Craftsman Creates Intricate, Whimsical Figures From Peach Pits

Roger R. Smith

Roger R. Smith’s peach-pit art is included in the White House Christmas collection and displayed at museums in Ohio and Tennessee.

To most people‚ a peach seed is some­thing to throw away after enjoying the ripe‚ juicy fruit. But to Roger R. Smith of Culleoka‚ it’s a work of art waiting to happen.

Using only a pocketknife and an idea‚ Smith carves intricate figures – miniature people‚ animals‚ cars and houses – from simple peach seeds.

“I got out of the military service in 1968‚” says Smith‚ a meter reader for Duck River Electric Co. by day and cattle farmer by night.

“I ate a peach one day on a break from work and started making a little pig out of the seed. It didn’t look that great at first‚ but I kept on working on it‚ making more detail. Pretty soon I was carving butterflies‚ penguins‚ donkeys‚ elephants – just about any animal you can think of.”

Smith has even carved entire scenes from multiple peach seeds‚ including one of a baseball stadium with players on the field‚ spectators in the bleachers and cars in the parking lot. He has also carved a pig farm.

”All my life I’ve doodled with a pocketknife. I’d be lost without one‚” Smith says. “In high school‚ I would use soft pine apple crate boxes to carve stagecoaches‚ horses and dogs. Then I got into chainsaw carvings. I was never able to buy really good carving tools‚ so I’d pick up anything – a stick‚ whatever – and make something from it.”

Individual peach seed figures take him anywhere from four to eight hours to create.

Smith’s carvings are on display at the African American Museum in Ohio and at the Tennessee State Museum. In 1993‚ he was invited to participate in Christmas at the White House‚ where his peach seed Santa carving was displayed on the tree and became part of the White House collection.

Smith sells his carvings at the Tennessee Association of Craft Artists’ Spring Craft Fair in Nashville.

“I’ve probably given away more pieces than I’ve sold‚” he says humbly. “For me‚ it’s just something to do.”

Story by Jessica Mozo

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