The Artistry in Wood Show at Dayton, Ohio on November 13 and 14 2010 will include a “silent auction” of carvings carved from the body of a duck rough out. Participating carvers are to carve a “duck-that-is-not-a-duck” so the imaginative outcome should be very fun as well as interesting. The WOOD BEE CARVER chose to carve a relief portrait of an Indian with the tail feathers of the duck rough out becoming the feather head dress for the Indian. In the photograph at the left, the rough out has a rough pencil sketch of the face of an Indian penciled on what would be the back of the duck rough out. It appears that the rough out is made of tupelo gum wood since it is extremely hard and resists hand powered carving tools. It became necessary to spray a mixture of half water and half denatured alcohol or rubbing alcohol to soften the wood enough to use palm gouges.
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Spuds are short, stocky and spud like caricatures who chomp on a cigar. When the first one on the right in the photograph was carved it reminded me of a “spud” like character. Each subsequent look alike carving became another “spud” whose stance and demeanor take on an air of the kind of no nonsense kind of guy who gets the business done. While the first few “spuds” were under three inches, the later versions were carved out of a three inch tall by an inch and half square basswood block. Each is finished with a monochrome finish of raw sienna artist oil paint mixed with boiled linseed oil in order to emphasis that “texture is color” by allowing the carved texture to speak for itself.
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Clown Lite is the title of a clown who is holding a balloon in one hand and a feather in the other to determine which one is lightest or heaviest. This carving subject has been carved several times with each one a little different and yet still the same as to the overall theme. The latest version of Clown Lite was being used as a demonstration carving in progress at a recent show. The carving was still in its early stage of being carved without any indication that it was going to be a clown. Children who came by to watch were asked if they could guess what the carving would be of a person holding a balloon and a feather trying to figure out which was the heaviest. Most of the children would choose the balloon as being the heaviest since it was larger than the feather. But one young girl about eight years old said, “Neither, because a balloon is as light as a feather.” Read the rest of this entry »
A WHITTLE DOODLE is a carving done only with a knife that is in essence “doodling with a knife.” Like doodling with a pencil, doodling with a knife is a free hand and free minded endeavor that does not have an overall plan. Doodling is what comes as one is doodling. Even though several Whittle Doodles have been done over the years and some themes are repeated, yet no two are exactly alike. To carve only with a knife is a challenge in and of itself that brings a special kind of satisfaction when the end result turns out better than imagined. Each Whittle Doodle, like any carving project, is a new journey that brings its own surprises and serendipity discoveries of imagination. Read the rest of this entry »
Inspiration for carving projects comes in various ways. Upon receiving a Father’s Day card with the picture of a chimp in a cowpoke outfit was just the ticket for the next carving project. Using the general guideline for carving six inch tall Cowpokes, this carving simply changed the facial detail into a primate rather than a human. Every carving project is a new learning experience making Top Banana a journey of learning while having fun with the challenge. Making it more of a challenge, Top Banana was carved using only one knife made by Ralph E. Long with a scimitar blade shape. Read the rest of this entry »
Spuds are short, stocky and spud like caricatures who chomp on a cigar. When the first one on the right in the photograph was carved it reminded me of a “spud” like character. Each subsequent look alike carving became another “spud” whose stance and demeanor take on an air of the kind of no nonsense kind of guy who gets the business done. While the first few “spuds” were under three inches, the later versions were carved out of a three inch tall by an inch and half square basswood block. Each is finished with a monochrome finish of raw sienna artist oil paint mixed with boiled linseed oil in order to emphasis that “texture is color” by allowing the carved texture to speak for itself. 
