Abraham Lincoln’s likeness is carved in cottonwood bark as a commission carving for a very good friend who is also a carver.  While most carving done by the WOOD BEE CARVER is carved using a knife and carved in basswood, yet on occasions other carving tools and wood will be used.  Every carving project is a learning experience especially those outside the comfort zone of the familiar.

The carving tools used for this project were made by Everett Cutsinger who for years has made carving tools out of flat or spade boring bits.  He is a craftsman with steel and tempering  in his own right and using his special made tools are a joy to use.  Good and sharp tools make any carving project a dream come true as there is a special thrill to watch, feel and hear the tool slicing through the wood on its path to shape a carving creation.

The photographic journey that follows will expose some of the major landmarks on the progress of BARK ABE on  its   way to its final destination as a completed carving worthy to be hung on the wall.

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Nine members of the River Valley Wood Carvers participated in a Whittle-Carving class in Taylor Mill, KY April 14, 15 and 16, 2011 becoming the latest group of Survivor Students of the WOOD BEE CARVER’s  approach to carving only with a knife and a square block of basswood.  Pictured in the photograph are  ( front row left to right):  Mickey Huston, Ed Stover, Bob Manning  (second row)  Don Potter, Bill Wright, Dick Middleton (third row)  Barry Pennington, Jim Clear and Rob Witzke.

During the three day class the students learned the A-B-C’s of Face Carving through the exercise of carving a  Three Version Face Study Stick  (as is described by that title under “Cool Links”)  and by carving a full figure of choice from the variety of Go-By  examples of clowns, hobos, old geezers, cowpokes, Civil War soldier, sea captian or a cowpoke bust.

Each student stayed right up to the end to receive the recognition of being a SURVIVOR STUDENT of Whittle-Carving adhering to the WOOD BEE CARVER’S  motto: “Would be carvers would be carvers if they would carve wood.”

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GO-BY’S are in essence  “models” used for comparison during the carving of a given subject.  Some GO-BY’S are  carved to basic form and others are completely carved to give a before and after appearance for study and comparison.  Often GO-BY’S are used during a class setting where students can study the intricate and subtle carving cuts as well as the basic overall design of the basic form as well as detail finishing touches.  The two photographs above offer a variety of subjects that are carved to the basic form of a Santa, old geezer with pipe and crooked stick, a carpenter, a wizard and a gnome shown in a front and rear view.

In the following photographic journey are various GO-BY’S that are being used in scheduled classes and are offered here as a photographic study. (click on each photo to enlarge and then back arrow to return)  A photographic study is to allow the picture to speak a thousand words by visually studying each carving in an imagination carving mode imagining how each was carved out of a square block of basswood using only a knife in the Whittle-Carving style of the  WOOD BEE CARVER. Read the rest of this entry »

WHITTLE DWARFS are whittle (small) whimsical carvings adapted from the magical art world of my good friend Don Stephenson. His drawings of three Dwarf Wizards serve as a backdrop in the photograph of the two Whittle-Carved Whittle Dwarfs. Whittle Dwarfs began as a one and three quarter inch tall by one inch square block of basswood and are whittled into the basic form of Don Stephenson’s drawings.  There eyes are covered by their head covering reminiscent of Don Worley’s “No See-Ums” face creations.  These Whittle Dwarfs are fun to carve, cute to have sitting around on a table or shelf, lend themselves to whimsical imagination and utilize those little scraps of wood that are too good to throw away.

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The WHITTLE FOLK ART  certificate serves also as an educational tool for classes that the WOOD BEE CARVER  teaches.  Whittle-Carving  is carving only with a knife as an exercise in one of the most common forms of Folk Art.  The certificate states the Motto of the WOOD BEE CARVER  as “Would be carvers would be carvers if they would carve wood.”   Next comes the  WOOD BEE CARVER’S Rules  of one line lessons that are extremely important to the practice of Whittle-Carving.  The first four deal with the importance of “slicing with the cutting edge” as being the most efficient cut with a knife (as it is with any carving tool). The other sayings on the certificate hold significant meaning worth thinking about, but for this posting the central theme is that of learning to “slice with the cutting edge,”  as often as possible. Read the rest of this entry »

Rich and Holli Smithson, owners and manufacturers of  HELVIE KNIVES  are known primarily for their quality carving knives and their unique basswood handled knives that can be used to carve one’s own design into the handle.  What is not well known is that Rich is also an artist at heart who sometimes creates beautiful wood burned and painted designs and scenes on handles of  HELVIE KNIVES.  Rich and Holli have graciously given me permission to post some of his artist creations so that others can appreciate another art form.  The gallery of knives that follow can be seen in a larger format by clicking on each photograph. Read the rest of this entry »