WoodBeeCarver

JOHN BURKE, ended his battle with cancer on January 29, 2010.  A carver of extra ordinary artistic ability and whose name is synonymous with Western Art, John endeared himself to his untold number of students and the carving community.  His was a household name and along with his beloved wife, Nancy, they sponsored a yearly woodcarving learning experience in the Western and Wildlife Art Workshop at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska.  The “Burke Sharpening System” revolutionized the ease of sharpening carving tools.  Most of all the friendships made over the years continue to relive the memories of times shared.

John was honored by Woodcarving Illustrated in 2009 as being named “Woodcarver of the Year.”

The photograph trail that follows is only a small representation of his carving influence and is shared in tribute of John’s lasting influence upon the woodcarving family as a  carver, author, instructor and friend. 

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A “Monochrome” finish is a one color or natural finish that is illustrated in this photograph of four Whittle Folk Spuds.  What the natural finish does is force the viewer to take a closer look at the carved features of a sculpture.  A natural finish shows off the detail of the carving cuts and the overall design of the sculpture.  A “Polychrome” finish is many colors that creates another kind of aesthetic beauty.  

 The difference can be described in the example of photography.   Polychrome is color photography while monochrome is black and white photography.  Each creates its own criteria for emphasis and effect.  Sometimes a monochrome or black and white photograph will tell a better story than polychrome or colored photograph and vice versa.  When a carving is completed the carver must choose whether to finish it with color paints or stains or to finish the carving in a natural finish.  Either one is appropriate and yet color seems to be preferred more often than natural finishing of a carving.

Here are two examples for comparison between monochrome or natural finish and polychrome or painted finish.   The first reaction is to be drawn to the colored finish in that most people like color.  Upon further investigation the natural finished carvings stand on their own.  A second look at the painted carving examples there is a slight hint that the coloring has masked some of the carved details. 

Any carving should stand on its own for its own merit so it is not really fair to compare natural and colored because each is telling a story in another language.  A carver must chose what language the carving is to speak keeping in mind that variety is still the spice of life.  Adding a little spice to one’s carvings adds to the aesthetic appeal. 

 Even though painted carvings are very popular one should also experiment with using a natural finish from time to time to make another artistic statement.  What follows is a photographic journey of carving subjects that have received a monochrome or natural finish.  Each carving stands on its own merits as the carved details of the overall carving add the color to the carving.

Cowpoke Slim has received a one color or monochrome finish of  Raw Sienna artist oil paint mixed with boiled linseed oil.  That combination allows for just enough contrast of the basswood to show off the carved texture and detailing.  The play of light and shadows caused by the hard lines carved with a knife allow for each section of the carving to stand out by contributing to the overall look of this cowboy carving. 

Doyle’s Cousin was a Pete LeClair class project.  This bottle stopper head was fastened to a flat basswood base.  It is finished with the monochrome finish of Raw Sienna oil paint and boiled linseed oil which highlight the carved details that create the light and shadows of the overall carving.  A wood burner was used to texture the cap’s checker board plaid lines and to darken the pupil of the eyes.  The iris of the eyes was carved with hash cuts like the spokes of wheel to give the texture effect of coloring to the iris.  With a natural finish it is the carved facets, textures and hard lines of the carving tool that do the coloring without color.

This cowboy is a Keith Morrill one day class project to learn his style of carving a cowboy caricature.  It is a simple and straight forward pose and yet with a little extra carving cuts movement can be added.  A natural finish requires a closer look at the carved textures and detailing.

This is a Floyd Rhadigan rough out class project that shows off his wonderful design for movement.  Any angle this carving is viewed tells another story.  It lends itself to the flair of carving flowing sculptured lines.  A natural finish of the monochrome color of Raw Sienna and Boiled Linseed Oil compliments the overall design and sculptured effect in the carving process.  Wood burning was added to the pupils of the eyes, buttons and belt buckle to add a little contrast.

Each of these carvings could have been painted many colors.  A natural finish speaks for itself and has complimented each of these carvings. 

 To paint or not to paint is the question that can only be answered by the carver who has enough confidence to go either way. 

 Don’t overlook a natural finish.   Rather look it over  naturally for its own benefit and effect of creating an artistic statement.

Whittle Folk Clown Lite is a three and a half inch tall caricature of a clown whittle-carved only with a knife.  He is holding a balloon and a feather to figure out which one is lighter.  His coat of checker board plaid are  lines carved to give texture as well as a trough to separate the colors.  The coat tail  as well as the extra long tie flair outward to give a sense of movement.  His head is turned slightly to his left to add to the sense of movement. 

 A red rubber ball nose is carved in a way to appear sitting on the end of his nose. The outline for the white smile is carved to form a trough so the paint would not bleed into the black beard portion of the face.  His hair is the color orange as are his larger than life shoes.  The clownish colors of his clothes gives him a bright and fun loving attitude that is expected of a clown.  However it is the seriousness of his dilemma of which is lighter, a feather or a balloon that creates a sense of pathos and puzzlement. 

 There is a clown in all of us that is both humorous and pathetic at the same time.  We try to find the balance between” not too heavy” and “not too lite” be it in acting the clown or taking life too seriously.  Into our drab outlook we would like to “clown it up” while the somber side says, “don’t make a fool of yourself.”  This clown carving is telling us to balance the right and the left, the up and the down, the half full and the half empty and to laugh amid the tears. 

 That is what being “CLOWN LITE” is all about.

CLOWN LITE is another way of being relaxed rather than uptight.  Study the four photographs of the clown from four different views to notice that there are no straight lines.  There are only curving lines for the eye to travel while viewing the various parts of this carving.

Carvings should not be telephone poles because straight lines are uninteresting.  Carvings should be designed to have curving  or crooked lines all over the carving to allow the eyes to have a pleasant journey of sight seeing over the entire carving. 

Study Clown Lite to see the various twists and turns of interesting movement leading the eyes on to the next discovery of what all makes up the carving.  In other words there is more to the clown that meets the eye. If that is seen then this carving has fulfilled its purpose of being  its “Clowning Experience.”