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 is 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.
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Bookmarks carved using tongue depressors is another way to fulfill the Old Carver’s Law: “Leave no wood un-carved.” Since the tongue depressors are made from an unknown wood that in some cases has twisted grain and is prone to break caution is used while carving. The thin depressor is clamped to a paint paddle to support while carving. When finished the carved depressor is glued to another depressor for added strength to withstand breakage. The bookmarks pictured are using a tree theme while any other theme including lettering can be carved using a depressor. Where there is piercing, or an opening in the carved design, the background in the back up depressor after the gluing can be textured with a series of indentations using an awl or ice pick as was the case with these tree bookmarks. Read the rest of this entry »
The photos below are ornaments carved by the WOOD BEE CARVER to be included with one hundred carved ornaments on the Ornament Tree during the Dayton Artistry in Wood Show at the Roberts Centre, Wilmington, OH ~ October 14 and 15 as one of the raffle prizes.
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