Basswood hen eggs provide a challenging medium for carving imaginative projects.  The challenge is to carve a variety of subjects out of the unique shape of a hen egg.  The egg shape lends itself to carving faces since the human face fits well within the oval egg shape.  The shape also allows for the carving of the upper torso and head of a figure without legs as an elongated bust. Read the rest of this entry »

The BUCKEYE  WOODCARVERS  ROUND UP – July 25, 26, 27 and 28, 2012 will be its second year of woodcarving instructions, friendship and fun at Poor Farmers Campground seven miles east of Piqua, Ohio.  For more information check out their web site http://www.buckeyewoodcarversroundup.webs.com/ for all the details.  Pictured above in Don Mertz instructing his Whittle-Carving style projects.

Two dimensional artists often work out a creative design by drawing variations of the same theme over and over again in a sketch book.  It is all a part of an artistic study to see and experience what the creative imagination envisions.  Woodcarvers do the same by carving a themed subject over and over again.  Every carving project is a journey in learning as well as allowing the creative sub conscious to partner with the carver in creating variations on a common theme. Every carving is a practice piece that provides another journey down a familiar path that has twists and turns not seen on previous journeys. Read the rest of this entry »

Carvers are commissioned to carve various subjects that offer a challenge to grow in the carving experience.  Every carving project is a learning experience of trying new and different subjects.  Recently a friend gave a commission to carve “game pieces” for a board game in the genre of “Monopoly” but in this case is a drug intervention and instructional game for youth.

The six game pieces requested included a judge, lawyer, counselor, policeman, sheriff, and the accused.  Each was to be carved out of a three quarter inch square by and inch and half tall block of basswood and thusly “miniature” size. (click on each photo to enlarge) Read the rest of this entry »

The mental image normally associated with “Gnome”  is the little character who advertises for a travel company or for the “Garden” variety that are available in gift shops wearing a red pointed hat, blue tunic and sporting a white beard and mustache.

Gnomes are imaginary characters so it is OK to use one’s imagination in carving a gnome in a non-traditional style.  In fact carving should be a creative process that allows imagination to be set free to create in a style only imagination can visualize.  All too often in the carving journey a carver wears a strait jacket of staying within the lines of convention by carving in a predetermined style or one similar to what everybody is carving. Read the rest of this entry »

Hugh O’Neal  is a carving friend who lives in Alabama.  He is one of the Survivor Students  from the recent class conducted in Charlie Leverett’s studio.  Hugh brought to class some of his recent carvings and granted me permission to take pictures and to share in this blog.  Some of his earlier carvings have been featured in previous postings as part of the Carving Friend series.  Hugh continues to come up with some of the neatest carving projects that are worthy of being seen by a larger audience.  Hugh has a creative eye and a carver’s touch with a very unique style of carving. Hugh is living proof of “the more you carve the better you carve,”  as each carver develops a unique style of his own. Read the rest of this entry »

“Sidekick”  is a representation of an old cowboy who has been around a long time with dependable friendship and loyalty to be trusted to help out in a pinch and always reliable.

Sidekick was carved out of an inch and half square by six inch tall block of basswood and colored with artist oil paint mixed with boiled linseed oil in the Painting Softly style. (click on photo to enlarge) Read the rest of this entry »