Course A Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Carvers’ Guild in West Groton image 1

Course A Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Carvers’ Guild in West Groton image 2

A Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Carvers’ Guild in West Groton

Step inside Carvers’ Guild in West Groton and discover the fascinating story behind one of New England’s most distinctive design and craft businesses. Housed in historic 19th-century mill buildings along the Squannacook River, Carvers’ Guild has been creating exceptional decorative mirrors in West Groton since 1970. Carl and Carol Canner founded the company, and their passion for design and craftsmanship transformed a small business into an internationally recognized maker of decorative mirrors.

During this special behind-the-scenes tour, guests will learn about the history of the mill and Carvers’ Guild, then follow a mirror through its remarkable journey—from Carol Canner’s original design and prototype to molding, casting, woodworking, sanding, finishing, gilding, painting, and final assembly. The tour offers a rare glimpse into a working craft studio where design, artistry, and New England manufacturing continue to thrive.

**All proceeds benefit the Prescott Community Center.

Carol Canner

Instructor

For nearly 60 years, Carvers' Guild has been a labor of love. Owners Carl and Carol Canner have created an internationally renowned company that fosters old-world craftsmanship and exceptional design. In a time of burgeoning imports, Carvers' Guild mirrors have been proudly made in the USA since 1970.

This lifelong collaboration began in the summer of 1961. Carol, a painting major at Rhode Island School of Design, opened a portrait gallery in Provincetown on Cape Cod. Studying Geology at Harvard, Carl also found a job on the Cape, framing Carol’s portraits! They were soon married.

Carvers' Guild was founded in Boston in 1964. When lightning struck their Boston workshop in 1970, Carvers' Guild and the Canners found a permanent home in a complex of cherry red 19th-century mill buildings, nestled on a wooded peninsula in West Groton, MA. They stopped importing and have since manufactured everything on site. Direct control of the means of production has been essential to Carvers' Guild's consistently exceptional quality.

Today, Carvers' Guild produces over four hundred exceptional mirrors, including the Carol Canner Collections and licensed reproductions for the Newport Society in Rhode Island and Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. Made to order in the USA and in the true "family spirit," each Carvers' Guild mirror is an heirloom to be treasured by generations to come.