The creative and imaginative mind of Don Stephenson makes him a “Wizard” as a versatile artist.  His drawings with pencil/ink on paper, wood burning on wood, carving in wood and as comic book creator with art and written story telling are only surpassed by the generosity of his spirit.  The publication of his first comic book “A Wizard’s Tale” with his self-portrait on the cover became the inspiration for a woodcarving of his likeness.  In appreciation of the friendship and generosity of Don, the Wood Bee Carver did the wood carving and asked Don to do the wood burning art on the wizard’s staff and book as a collaborated partnership in art.  Don has given the Wood Bee Carver many drawings of carving ideas over the years earning him the nickname “the Idea Monster.” So, it became a natural collaboration of friendship to create “Wizard Don Stephenson.”

The four photos below depict the carving in process using a variety of knives to carve a block of basswood eleven inches tall, three inches wide and two inches deep.  The staff measures eleven inches and the wizard figure measures nine inches tall.  Carving the staff as part of the figure gives a more natural appearance that inserting a separate staff into the fist of the hand. However, this made wood burning the drawings on the staff more of a challenge for Wizard Don, but then he is a wizard with the wood burner making him up to the challenge.

The next two photos begin with a close up of the face and the second photo is the completed carving being held by the Wood Bee Carver on the night it was passed on to Don to do the embellishment of the wood burning to the staff and book.

The final series of photographs begin with four photos of poses of the Wizard. Artist oil paint thinned with boiled linseed oil colored the carving while the staff only received a lacquer finish. The next six photos are close ups of the wood burning art of Don on the book and staff.

Finally, a close-up photo of Wizard Don Stephenson who looks into the eye of imagination to tell more tales of artistic wonder and mystery. Thank you, Don.