Jim Willis of Kansas City, Missouri received a CCA Merit Award at the Artistry in Wood Show on November 14, 2009.  Presenting the award are CCA Members Joe Schumacher, Bruce Henn, Harley Schmitgen, Don Mertz, Floyd Rhadigan and Dave Stetson.  The Merit Award is presented to a carver who exemplifies the art of caricature carving and is given not only for recognition but also as encouragement in caricature carving.

Jim Willis is standing beside his carving display of caricature bottle stoppers.  He exemplifies the art of caricature carving with his unique style.

CONGRATULATIONS, Jim.

The EXTREME WHITTLE DOODLE is carved especially for the Artistry in Wood Show, Dayton, Ohio on November 14 and 15, 2009 as a contribution to the Silent Auction at the Show.  It is carved in a three inch square by eight inches tall block of basswood and finished with boiled linseed oil and raw sienna artist oil paint followed by brushed on coat of Deft.  Whittle Doodle is a way of showcasing what can be carved using only a knife by pushing whittling to the extreme.

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A dentist in Israel commissioned the carving of this caricature scene of a dentist and his patient.  It appears that there is a lingering fear of going to the dentist who will extract fear out of the patient long before any teeth are extracted.  Approaching this lingering fear with a bit of humor is a way to lighten any patients apprehension while poking fun at the dentist.  Thus when a dentist commissions such a carving it is the dentist who has the sense of humor by poking fun at the dental profession. Read the rest of this entry »

John Niggemeyer of Heath, Ohio was presented the CCA Merit Award by CCA Members Bruce Henn and Don Mertz at the Cincinnati Woodcarving Show, October 10 and 11, 2009.  John’s wife Sara offers a congratulary smile as John receives this very special honor.

John is a very versatile carver with many years experience who excells is whatever  carving  genre he attempts.  The photographs that follow are of some of his caricature carvings that were displayed at the Cincinnnati Show. Read the rest of this entry »

Bart Wilson of Guyton, Georgia recently honored me with a gift of three of his caricature carvings during the Dollywood Woodcarving Showcase, 2009.  This was our first face to face meeting as we had only communicated with each other through the Woodcarving Illustrated Message Board.  Read the rest of this entry »

Charles Simpson, a carver and knife maker of Guntersville, Alabama has been making carving knives for many years.  He is an active member of the Huntsville Carving Club and sells his knives at their show and other shows in the Alabama area.

I first became aware of his knives while I was teaching a class at Charles Leverett’s studio and one of the students, David Wilson gave me a couple of Charles Simpson knives.  Those two knives cut like a dream and I was intrigued that Charles makes them out of Personna floor scrapper blades.  Since then I have purchased three more that are pictured along with the two previous knives received as a gift. Read the rest of this entry »

The Three Amigos are grown up versions of Whittle Folk ‘Pokes in that they are carved from a one and a half inch square block six inches tall and were carved using traditional carving tools while Whittle Folk ‘Pokes are carved using only a knife and are only four inches tall by three quarters of an inch square. Read the rest of this entry »