HELVIE KNIVES announces the latest in the WOOD BEE CARVER ~ Signature Series are now available to order by visiting their website http://www.helvieknives.com/ or by calling 765-675-8811. Read the rest of this entry »
Jim Hecker, my friend and woodcarver from Minnesota carved a St. Nicholas for a dear lady and tells a story of the common carving journey any carver can make while creating a new subject to be carved. That journey begins with a challenge to carve a subject that is new to the carver. The challenge turns into a creative opportunity to carve an interpretation of the subject by using one’s creative imagination to plan the carving process. Creative imagination guides the carver to learn by doing and to design while carving the imagined mental picture of the subject. Jim chose to carve two of the same subject at the same time as a way to learn from the first one and take what was learned to refine the second carving. The final part of the carving journey comes with the recipient of the carving being very appreciative and the carver rewarded with the experience of learning on the carving journey. The photographs and Jim’s account of his journey indicates that he learned a carving lesson to pass on to us as we follow the wood chips of his inspiration to carve our own journey. Read the rest of this entry »
1
Jan
SECRET TO SUCCESS
SECRET TO SUCCESS ~A motivational speaker opened his remarks by saying, “The secret to my success is that I have always followed the two ‘Rules of Success,’ Rule number 1, ‘Never tell everything you know,’ … The audience waited with baited anticipation for the second rule and then it dawned on them after a long pause that Rule 1 was the clue to not telling the second rule.
Some woodcarvers want everything spelled out for the carving of a particular project that leaves nothing to the imagination. Well there is no easy path to learning to carve. There is only “learning by doing” that becomes the best path for learning to carve. The WOOD BEE CARVER’S motto: “Would be carvers would be carvers if they would carve wood,” is the rule of success for carving. Read the rest of this entry »
26
Dec
HEART ANGEL
The Heart Angel is a stylized interpretation of a “messenger” of love and hope. This carving began as a commission to be a sister’s gift to a sister who is facing another chapter in surviving cancer. A stylized interpretation was chosen so that the overall silhouette would open up imagination to personalize the angel. The silhouette of the stylized wings formed the shape of a heart as well as the shape of the prayerful hands and drapery of the sleeves form an imaginary heart. Read the rest of this entry »
26
Dec
MERRY CHRISTMAS
A CARVED WOODEN ANGEL HERALDS THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS WITH THE HOPE AND PEACE OF LOVE AS FAMILY AND FRIENDS CELEBRATE AGAIN THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS
~DON AND FRANCES
19
Dec
SIDE WINDER II ~ Test
SIDEWINDER II is put to the test carving a puppy in a sock that measures three and half inches by and inch and half sawed out blank. A series of photographs will show the knife blade making a variety of cuts to shape the basic form of the puppy and the sock as well as making cuts that will set up the carving of the details of the carving. The position of the knife blade will indicate which part of the dog legged SIDEWINDER II blade is being used to accomplish that particular cut. It will help to view these first three photos of the completed carving to compare with the carving in progress photos. Read the rest of this entry »
HELVIE KNIVES announces the introduction of the SIDE WINDER and SIDE WINDER II of the WOOD BEE CARVER ~ Signature Series Knives.
The SIDE WINDER and SIDE WINDER II blades have three cutting edges: “A” represents a longer cutting edge with a reverse skew angle used for general slicing cuts. “B” represents a curved cutting edge that can be used as a mini bull nose gouge as well as for making controlled stop cuts. “C” represents a curved skew cutting edge to be used for getting into tight areas and mini slicing actions. Read the rest of this entry »
On Saturday, November 22, 2014, eleven students gathered at the Woodcraft Store in Centerville, OH for a one day carving class on the subject of carving a Santa Ornament. Students who survived the Whittle-Carving class were: Aaron Davies, Lane Andrianoff, James Canfield, Richard Achor, Joshua Grimes, Doug Schneider, Jason Gordon, Michael Sheils, Karen Terry, Max Litke and Teresa Balsbaugh. The two photos above are of teachable moments as the students were intent in learning from the various exercises leading up to carving a Santa ornament from instructor Don Mertz, the WOOD BEE CARVER. Read the rest of this entry »