The WOOD BEE CARVER  carves a variation on the “garden variety” of Gnomes associated with the Scandinavian origin of these delightful characters. Being mythical characters hidden from the naked eye only to be seen in one’s imagination, Gnomes can be any interpretation of the artist’s imagination.  Thus the style of gnome carved by this author is of the Southwest Ohio variety of gnomes who favor a floppy style hat rather than the traditional “dunce” pointed hat.  Clothing style is a little different as well but then all such variations from the original image are in the artist’s own imagination.

Gnomettes are a recent innovation that came about by request from a ninety six year old collector of a Wood Bee Carver gnome who she said her gnome was lonely and needed a companion.

[Four views of a Gnome without any paint finish to give a visual study of the carved basswood figure followed by four views of painted Gnome and three facial close up views – click on each photo to enlarge then use back arrow to return to page]

 [The first Gnomette carved to become companion with a Gnome in a collector’s home]

Carving female faces and features require a softer approach than carving the male character.  There is no such thing as an “ugly woman” so carving a female figure requires extra care, practice and study.  Male faces can have harder lines in the face which is OK for the male face but a female face requires softer lines.

The Wood Bee Carver has long be an advocate of promoting woodcarving as a “learn by doing” pursuit with “the more one carves the better one carves,” so one should carve as often as possible and never be deterred by a challenge of a new project.  In this same mantra of learning, “once a new project is completed, turn right around and carve it again and then again” since what is learned with the preceding carving will guide in each subsequent carving project.  So it was in following one’s own advice, one “gnomette” was carved and then three more were carved with the same basic pose.  Even though they were the same, yet each expressed their own personality.  “Every carving is a learning project,” and these four gnomettes are the beginning lessons that will continue with future learning.

[Progressive steps; Helvie Signature Series #3-1 and #3-2 Knives used to carve Gnomettes]

Gnomes and Gnomettes are carved in a one inch square by three inch tall block of basswood using only a knife in the Whittle-Carving Style of “slice and roll” cuts to create the flowing lines with sense of movement within a small figure.  Each was finished with artist oil paints mixed with boiled linseed oil to give a soft coloring of a warm finish.

When the first gnomette was delivered to the collector, the lady immediately placed the gnomette beside her lonely gnome who was standing on a heart shaped doily.  Once together it was apparent that every gnome needs a gnomette.