Rich, Holli and daughter Skylar Smithson are owners and manufacturers of Helvie Knives which includes their signature series. The carving of Cinderella utilized three Signature Knives in carving a ten inch tall Cinderella on a two and a quarter inch by four and a quarter inch base. Skylar especially likes the Princess characters of Disney creation and is the recipient of this carving to add to her collection as a three and half year old who loves wood carvings.
Every carving project is a learning experience in which the carver attempts to create the best features of a particular subject. Carving the female face is more of a challenge than doing a caricature of a male face because female features are soft while the male face has hard lines. So even though Skylar immediately recognized the carving as being Cinderella by saying “It is HER,” yet from this carver’s perspective the face is not as soft, feminine or as youthful as had been hoped. So it is back to trying again on the next feminine project to carve the face closer to as it should be. This is another example that carving is an every growing and learning experience with each carving being simply a “practice piece” from which to continue to do one’s best. Read the rest of this entry »
The idea for carving a Madonna and Child in the shape of the letter “J” connected to letters “O and Y” to spell “JOY” came from an editorial cartoon drawn by Steve Breen in 2007. A cartoon does not always have to evoke humor as much as it captures one’s imagination in a thoughtful manner. Such was the case with Steve Breen’s cartoon that nagged and prodded the creative muse to become a wood carving. Read the rest of this entry »
Doc Holiday is a historic figure who was part of the Gunfight at the OK Corral of Western lore. Many stories and movies interpreted with artistic license the character of Doc Holiday and there is no definitive and accurate account of where fact ends and fiction begins. Carving a figure of Doc Holiday becomes the imagination of the carver through various depictions of the Western outfit. In this case Doc is wearing a long dark duster over his suit vest, string tie and trousers. He is carrying a double barreled shot gun in his right hand while the butt of a pistol peaks out of the edge of the left side of his duster. Read the rest of this entry »
A Fifty Wedding Anniversary gift was carved out of a butternut wood strip measuring six inches long, two and a half inches tall and a half inch thick. The letters ”L – O – V –E” were drawn on the wood freehand with each letter slightly behind the preceding letter in a stair step fashion. Knife cuts were used to shape the letters with the help of a gouge. A shallow gouge was used to texture the front of the letters while the number five was recessed in the back to join with the opening of the letter “O” to form the number “50”. A Danish Oil finish was applied followed with a soft paste wax that was buffed to a rich sheen. The Love plaque is intended to stand on its own as a table top decoration with the beauty of love backed up with fifty years of marriage. All of which is a metaphor for a love that lasts.
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 »
Rich, Holli and daughter Skylar Smithson are owners and manufacturers of Helvie Knives which includes their signature series. The carving of Cinderella utilized three Signature Knives in carving a ten inch tall Cinderella on a two and a quarter inch by four and a quarter inch base. Skylar especially likes the Princess characters of Disney creation and is the recipient of this carving to add to her collection as a three and half year old who loves wood carvings.
