Snowmen are fun little carvings that seem to catch the imagination of anyone who has a memory of making a snowman out of the first snow during childhood.  In a way snowmen are one of the few positive things one can remember about snow unless one is fond of snow sports.  The snow I prefer is that of memory and of carved snowmen because I am like the fellow who said he likes the four seasons of Summer= Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer and Next Summer. Read the rest of this entry »

Don Worley taught a class on how to carve his NO SEE-UMS to members of the Miami Valley Wood Carving club members in Middletown, Ohio in January, 2009.  The three No See-Ums in the photograph are the ones I did in his class.  No See-Ums are fun carving subjects that become addictive in that one leads to doing another and then another. Read the rest of this entry »

The WOOD BEE CARVER has always practiced “learning by doing” using the philosophy: “Would be carvers would be carvers if they would carve wood.” Within that philosophy is the awareness that “Woodcarving is more the journey than the destination,” which means that it is in doing the activity of carving that is more important that the completed carving. Read the rest of this entry »

Norb Hartmann, a long time wood carving friend from Fairfield, Ohio gave this laser engraved plaque to me as an ongoing sharing of good humored fun.  He is like the “good humor bandit” who likes to sneak up on you with a special act of friendship and tattoo his generosity on your heart. Read the rest of this entry »

DERBY DINGUS McGee is an original carving by Lynn Doughty. My wife, Frances, gave me this carving as a gift this Christmas. What a pleasant surprise. In other years I received two lumps of coal, but this year I received a “Doughty.” Am I a good boy or what?

Gifts are special and some are more special because they continue to give. Love is a gift that keeps on giving. Friendship is a gift that keeps on giving. Memory is a gift that keeps on giving. Woodcarving is a gift that keeps on giving. Combining all of these becomes yet another gift that continues to give. Read the rest of this entry »

This blank block of wood symbolizes the beginning of a new year filled with unknown possibilities.  Every carving project begins in a new block of wood that awaits the carver’s tools of inspiration, creative ideas and ability to try.  Read the rest of this entry »

This FRIENDSHIP CARVING TREE contains carved wooden ornaments collected over the years.  Each one contains a memory of the person who carved an ornament as a way of remembering those who decorate our lives with friendship.  Each represents an unique style of creativity that can only be demonstrated in the individuality of personality of the carver.  Each ornament has a story to tell of the generosity of friendship which like all Christmas memories is a sentimental journey. Read the rest of this entry »