In the previous posting on Go By Study the emphasis was placed upon being able to “see” a carving project in one’s imagination, in a block of wood and while carving the project to its basic form. The series of four photographs above shows examples of the progressive stages in carving a hillbilly carrying a jug of corn squeezings. The figure on the left shows the hat, head and chest carved to basic form with the remaining portion of the block marked with guidelines. The center figure is carved to basic form while the figure on the right is a finished figure. The four views provide a visual tutorial of the observation of comparison for a Go By lesson. Read the rest of this entry »
A “Go By” is a term applied to the use of a carved object, partially carved object, a photograph or a drawing that is studied and looked at during the carving process to guide the carver. It is an instructional aid and a visual guide to help see what is being carved. The key word is “see” with the mental eye to get a fix on how a carving that is being carved will begin to look as the wood is being shaped. Yoga Berra in noted for his Yoga-isms like “you can observe a lot by watching.” A Go By helps the carver to see if the carver will observe and imagine what cuts were used to carve the Go By to its present form. This “observation to see” is not a quick process but does require a thoughtful and methodical visual analyzing of the parts and sum total of a Go By. Read the rest of this entry »
Bob Holmes, an Octogenarian, has been carving only for a couple of years but carves almost every day as a good example that the more one carves the better one carves. Recently he carved a golfer for a long time friend who was terminally ill. The friend, a golfer himself, was so touched by this gesture of friendship he kept the carving near him to have available to show it to any who came to visit. The golfer carving was also present at the friend’s funeral indicative of how much he appreciated the gift. That is what carvers do whenever they give of themselves through their carving and creative journey. Read the rest of this entry »
The Rest of the Story can now be told about the Block Heads that were posted on February 17, 2013 in that the Bock Heads were a companion to a special knife made by Rich Smithson for the twenty fifth anniversary of the Eastern Woodland Carving Club (Converse, IN). The photos are provided by Rich and Holli Smithson along with their daughter Skylar. (Click on each photo to enlarge then use back arrow to returns to posting) Read the rest of this entry »
Members of the Lexington Woodcarvers Guild participated in a three day class April 11, 12 and 13 at the workshop of Ken and Beverly Taylor in Paris, KY. Pictured above are Don Dziubakowski, Doris Rapp, Joan Whitman, Dick Mathy, Debbie Ross, Jerry Bennett, Calvin Grant, Ken Taylor, Doug Chute, Bryan Taylor and Gary Bryant (not in picture). Read the rest of this entry »
CARICATURE CARVERS OF AMERICA announces that their latest project, the 1930’s Street Scene is available for sale with pictures and information at http://www.cca-carvers.org/ along with the for sale announcement of previous project of the 1880 Western Train. The Street Scene will have only one public showing at the Artistry in Wood Show, Dayton, OH on November 9 and 10, 2013. All CCA members who carved these two projects have donated the carvings to Caricature Carvers of America for the advancement and encouragement of Caricature Carving as an Art. CCA sponsored seminars and competition information can also be found on the website.
