Wood that has character are those serendipity discoveries that appear when cutting into a block of wood. These character blemishes occur as the result of a tree healing itself when its limb is cut or broken off during the growth of the tree. It could be a knot, ingrown bark, fungus or natural occurring dark streaks. Such blemishes may imply inferior wood that has little use and is often discarded in the trash barrel or burned. But then, when you have a carver who follows the Old Carver’s Law: “Leave no wood un-carved,” such character wood becomes a source for a unique carving with its own character.
The blemish itself has a beauty of its own and is often surrounded with interesting grain patterns of twisted and gnarly grain. The challenge for the carver is to incorporate the blemish or flaw into the overall design of the carvings often on the back side to make for a serendipity discovery in and of itself. These carvings in the photographs are examples of character wood that have been carved and others that await the carver’s inspiration.
Posted by: woodbeecarver in General
Ministry Appreciation Month: Celebrating Those Who Have Served
Throughout October, First Christian Church will be giving thanks for the many people whose faithful service has helped shape the life and ministry of our congregation across the generations.
We begin with someone who continues to hold a special place in the life and history of First Christian Church: Rev. Donald K. Mertz, our Minister Emeritus.
Rev. Mertz began his ministry with First Christian on September 1, 1981, and served as our pastor until his retirement in May 2006—nearly 25 years of ministry alongside this congregation.
During those years, Don walked with generations of First Christian members through worship and prayer, baptisms and weddings, celebrations and funerals, seasons of change, and the everyday work of being the Church together. He also helped preserve our congregation’s story by writing the history of First Christian covering the years 1978–2003 as part of our 175th anniversary celebration.
Following his retirement, the congregation honored Don’s long and faithful service by naming him Minister Emeritus, a title he continues to hold today.
And alongside Don throughout those years was his wife, Frances, who became an important part of the First Christian community in her own right.
As we begin Ministry Appreciation Month, we give thanks for Rev. Donald K. Mertz and Frances, for the many years they shared with First Christian Church, and for the lasting relationships and memories created along the way.
Nearly two centuries of ministry at First Christian have been built by generations of people answering God’s call to serve. This month, we celebrate some of those who have helped us become the congregation we are today as we continue Growing Faith Through Actions of Christian Love.
Thank you, Don and Frances, for being part of the continuing story of First Christian Church!
“EYEBALL” is a term that implies taking a close look, an “eye to eye” look to see more than what at first appears as there is always something more that meets the eye.
Read the rest of this entry »
Among the many ways to learn to carve, perhaps the best way is in doing the carving process for one’s self. At first it may be slow and tedious even challenging at times, but in the end the best and lasting lessons come in the doing.
Read the rest of this entry »
The WOOD BEE CARVER Sign is Whittle-Carved in two pieces of basswood with the base measuring five inches by an inch and a half by half inch thick and the figure measures two and a half inch tall by an inch square. The base received incised carved letters “WOOD BEE CARVER” AND “MERTZ” and a wood burned logo of a Wood Bee. A mortice was carved into the top of the base to receive the inch square base of the carved figure that is glued into the morticed opening. The figure depicting the “Wood Bee Carver” stands two and a half inches tall being a depiction caricature likeness of “Mertz” the carver. The coloring of the carved figure used artist oil paint thinned with boiled linseed oil and finished with an application of Deft, a brushing lacquer.
Read the rest of this entry »
HALF PINT WHITTLE CARVINGS are three inch tall figures whittle carved using only knives to shape and detail the carving project. They are called “Half Pints” because they use the half inch equals a foot scale which is “half” of the inch scale that equals a foot. A six inch tall carved figure would represent a six foot tall figure.
Read the rest of this entry »
EYE
EYE STUDY is on the front side of the stick and the EAR STUDY in on the back side of the stick. The face at the top of the EYE study show the result of carving in the two eyes in a face with the added illustration of the face carved in detail with a bent pipe carved in the corner of the mouth using only a knife to make these cuts.The progressive Eye development is making a three cut triangular chip cuts along with angled notch cuts with the eye at the top carved with detail shaping of the wood.
On the back of the Eye Study stick, the Ear is progressively developed by making two notch cuts that resemble the shape of the number “7” and then the corners are sliced off to begin the rounding-shaping of the ear as it developes its detailed shaping by rounding the corners and scooping out the inside portion of the ear with the tragus of the beginning the two notch cuts in the shape of the letter “V” on its side and then a notch cut to form a “Y” shape in the inner portion of the ear. The head/face at the top of the Ear Study is carved to its basic form to illustration that a good foundation is carved first and then the detail cuts with bring the face to life.
FACE STUDY STICK ~ whittle carved with knives with four faces on each stick ~ one inch wide and and inch and half tall. Each face carved using the Rule of Three for Facial Proportions = Hairline to Eye Brow; Eye Brow to Nose Bottom; Nose Bottom to Chin Bottom in one third divisions. The width of the face is equal to two, one third proportional comparison or two thirds wide and three thirds length proportionally.
Read the rest of this entry »
