Keith Radick has a strong face with character that is a good subject for study. He is not only an accomplished carver but he also is a good sport by granting me permission to use his face for this study. The face on a WANTED poster is intended to be studied in case you ever see this character.
Mark Akers is one of the instructors at the October Renegade Woodcarving Roundup in Lebanon, TN. The photos are of some of his projects of shelf sitters, bottle stopper and ornament. The 3 monsters come from the same rough out. Attendees at the Round Up are sure to have a good time.
HAVE HOE – WILL PLANT is a commission carving of a lady gardener that is carved out of a seven inch tall, two inch by three inch block of basswood using a series of carving knives. The simple verbal description included a gray hair lady with a braid draping over her right shoulder with length going to her waist. She is wearing a light blue tee shirt, khaki shorts, red tennis shoes, and is holding a packet of seeds in one hand and the hoe leaning on her left shoulder. A cat is rubbing against her right leg at the ankle.
Old Sawdust is a carving representing an old wood worker who represents the old days of working with hands guided by the accumulated experience of working with wood. He is holding a plane, a saw and has a pencil in the pocket of his apron. Each of those tools were essential for hands on craftsmanship. There are lessons to learn by listening to old timers who tell of what was learned in the experience of doing. Lessons that contemporary wood carvers can apply to the carving experience since much of carving is done by hand (with apologies to power carvers).
“A one tracked mind,” implies that a person is overly committed to only one main pursuit that consumes one’s energy, thinking and motivation. Life on the “one track” can be very exhausting, time consuming and misses smelling the roses along the way. The wisdom in the old saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” is comparable to having a “one track mind.” Having a well-rounded approach with varied experiences can open up the door to a creative personality of becoming the best we can be. The creative power of a hobby like wood carving can widen the horizon of beauty in one’s life and purpose.
Whittle Doodles are doodling with a knife in a block of wood to carve a variety of subjects and themes as a demonstration of carvings done using only a knife. Whimsical in nature and yet a way to illustrate the art and practice of carving in a small and restricted area.
A commissioned carving project of a carpenter nonchalantly holding his hammer while tapping its head into the palm of his other hand is carved out of a seven-inch-tall block of basswood with the words “HAVE HAMMER ~ WILL TRAVEL” incised into the base of the carving.
Carve along with Don Worley by using his simple follow-along trail of photographs and landmark descriptions for carving Cowboy Dude refrigerator magnets.