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Our Story
Jolie Karno
Discover the captivating world of Jolie Karno, an expert woodturner and esteemed instructor who dedicates her life to sharing the magic of woodworking at Techshop in San Francisco and The Crucible in Oakland. Jolie’s love for teaching is boundless, and she has successfully turned countless individuals into fine woodworking aficionados.
As the dedicated director of The Lower 48, a welcoming makerspace nestled in the heart of Oakland, Jolie is on a mission to make the art of woodturning more inclusive. She fervently works towards encouraging more women and people of color to embrace the joy of shaping wood into stunning creations.
Jolie is known for her contagious enthusiasm about all that is wooden and loves to turn, teach, and play with animals. Embark on a memorable journey with Jolie Karno and discover the rewarding satisfaction that comes with transforming wood into mesmerizing works of art.
About the Founder
Lower 48 is the brainchild of Jolie Karno, a skilled woodturner and accomplished woodworking instructor. Founded in 2016, her one-woman project got its start as part of the NIMBY maker space in East Oakland. Back then her shop was the bottom of two 48-foot shipping containers stacked on top of each other. Since her shop was underneath, visitors were told to walk back to “the lower 48”. The name stuck and the rest is history.
She went on to teach woodworking at the now closed Tech Shop in San Francisco and continues to instruct at The Crucible. From her volunteer beginnings she has become a Co-Department Head of the Woodworking Department at The Crucible, teaching woodturning since 2012. Jolie loves dogs, coffee, and introducing people from all backgrounds to the art of fine woodworking.
