Woodcarving is an open door to friendships made and being made.  A carving can be an extension of the personality of the carver, so much so that we can know the carver through their carving without having met one another in real life.

The “Cajun Band”  carved by Dan Slater   is an example of the “Woodcarving Friendship Connection.”

Around 1987 I met Ray Johnson who talked with me about starting a local woodcarving group.  Just as the group got organized, Ray moved to Nevada for health reasons and I did not hear from him for years until about two years ago.  We communicated by way of email and internet connections.  Ray’s health continued to fail resulting in his death.  His good friend Dan let me know of his passing.  Thus it was through Ray that I met Dan long distance through email and internet connections.  Recently Dan emailed me photos of a recent carving project.  His “Cajun Band”  is such a clever idea and well carved so I requested permission to post more photos of his “Cajun Band”  so that visitors to this site could be inspired and encouraged by these wonderful carvings.  Dan also shared a few words about his project.

Take a photographic journey along the path of the development and completion of the “Cajun Band”  while appreciating the creative ability of carving friend Dan Slater who becomes your friend as well in the “Woodcarving Friendship Connection.”

                                 Dan says, “As far as how the idea came to be, well it started with a mouse.  I have a friend who plays the violin and was recently married.  She’s pretty small so I thought a mouse playing a violin would be a fun idea for a wedding gift.  She loved the mouse.    Well I thought that the mouse was fun so I thought why not do a whole band.  The cajun theme came from that.  The Maestro was an idea that got stuck in my head and wouldn’t leave.  I interrupted the band to carve him.  Overall the band took about 8-11 months carving off and on I’d guess.  My big mistake on this was scale.  I figured the piano should be 1″ to the foot.  Well that was fine but it meant that the rabbit on the violin is about 2.5″ tall.  Ever try to carve a violin 1.25″ long?

I work full time and do a lot of overtime and even attend classes at UNLV as well.  As a result I don’t have a lot of time to sit and whittle.  Where I do get a bit of time is at red lights.  I drive a lot as part of my job.  A lot of the band was carved at those.  My car is usually full of chips.

The band is carved with knives and palm gouges.  About the only power I used was in texturing the alligator skin,  It would have taken too much time to do it with gouges.  The paints are acrylic and they are sealed with deft.”

Thank you Dan for a carving theme that is music to our eyes and carving spirit.  Keep the “Woodcarving Friendship Connection”  connected.