After a series of challenging events, including the birth of her first child and a dream job that imploded after a few short months, Elena Skidmore did some serious soul-searching and goal-setting. Among them: spend a year traveling the world, and find a space for herself in the food/maker world.
Through conversations with local artisans, including the founder of Ink Fish, a local tableware design company, Elena decided to create something she’s long loved: cheese boards.
“I’ve always been a hands-on type of person,” says Skidmore. “My mom used to own her own construction company. Tools have never scared me but I hadn’t been around them since 7th grade woodshop.”
Things started falling into place when Elena discovered Maker Place, a do-it-yourself community workshop on West Morena Boulevard with a full woodshop, laser lab, 3D printers and more. Soon she was spending 40 hours a week in the workshop, trying to figure out how to make her designs work.
That dedication paid off. Today, as the founder and head maker of Aroara Industries, she produces heirloom cutting and serving boards intended to be displayed like art, not stashed away in a cupboard, where she says most cutting boards “go to die”.
All of Aroara Industries’ boards are made from American hardwood—such as black walnut, maple, and occasionally cherry—sourced from tree farms in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest.
Responsible sourcing is important to Elena, who also works with the National Forest Foundation to plant a tree for every board she makes.
The company’s online shop currently has nine different options, ranging in size and shape.
The Leah board is a stylish hexagonal-shaped board crafted from rich black walnut that does double duty as a cutting and serving board, while the “Model1” is a supersized serving board with rose or clear quartz handles attached with brass hardware.
Guided by a love of food and what it says about culture, Elena says she hopes her boards will inspire people to come together for casual meals more often—without overthinking it.
Shop Aroara Industries Boards online at aroara-ind.com
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