Capital City Carvers

What wood carving has taught me about life.

Eight brave and thoughtful souls replied to the request on this topic:

"Wood carving has taught me to see better. Also patience."

"Wood carving has taught me Patience! I have learned to take my time and enjoy my hobby."

"Carving has taught me: I do have some artistic talent that took over 60 years to discover. Not everyone truthfully appreciates this new found talent. Where wood spirits live & how they come out in the world. Mistakes can sometimes be fixed (or at least covered up). Confirmed that I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Wood carvers are friendly, generous, & thoughtful. There are reasons for the subtle differences in creature's shapes that are critical for survival."

"Wood carving is like using a computer. If you make a wrong stroke you're done; in life you can correct/modify and move on."

"I have learned that the second time you do something it gets easier, unless you wait too long, then it's like starting all over again."

"Wood carving has taught me the importance of planning ahead. Unlike painting, there are few 'happy accidents' in wood carving. It has also taught me the importance of advance preparation and research. Lincoln's comment, 'Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe' applies to wood carving as well."

"Wood carving has taught me the essence of patience. I have learned to be more attentive to detail an that there is beauty in the simplest of things. Wood carving also gives me solace. Whenever I am stressed I can always wood carve and any weight that I have is instantly lifted. It has also allowed me to meet people from various different backgrounds while traveling to different places."

"Wood carving has taught me that being creative is as essential to my well-being as breathing. Also, a diverse group of people with a common interest can come together for two hours on a Monday night and create a community that can sustain and nourish our creative lives."

Florida Roundup

February 4 through 7, 2014; Long Center, 1501 N. Belcher Rd, Clearwater, 33765. Can pre-register up to Jan. 24th ($8 per day). Walk-in registration every morning ($8 per day). Long Center opens 7:30 a.m. Classes 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No group rate for motel-rates are lower than rates in March. Plenty of parking at Long Center. Lunch truck available in parking area. Each instructor charges a fee-range from $15 to $45 per day. Materials for projects range from $8 to $35. A few projects will require two days; most are one day.

Class descriptions, pictures of carving projects, registration form, map to Long Center, and more can be found on the Roundup website: http://webspace.webring.com/people/qj/jeodea/

Charley Phillips - Flowers
Barbara Mann - Figures in Cypress Knees
Steve Brown - Caricatures
Matt Kelley - Celtic Knotwork on Cottonwood Bark Treasure Boxes
Chris Howard - Spirit Faces in Cottonwood Bark (CWB)
Tony Erickson - Pipe Smoking Old Man in CWB
Jim O'Dea - Human Face Study Stick, other projects
Dylan Goodson - Relief or Human Figures/Faces
Jim Van Duyns - Pierced Relief
Carolyn Marek - Woodburning
Bob Marek - Flat-Plane Carving
Ginny Gray - CWB Houses
Clancy Smith - Deep Relief
Jim Foster - Layered 3D Relief Pictures and Eggs
Jack Simpson & Bill Douglas - Beginner Class: Stylized Hound Dog
Ralph Rossignol - Dragons
Mary Weinheimer - Characters in Relief & Soapstone
Chris ODea - Mirror Etching
Floyd Rhatigan - Caricatures
Leah Goddard - Realistic Animals
Pete LeClair - Caricatures

Wood Carving Hints

• In making a cut, if the wood chip does not drop off by itself it is not cut all the way.
• Never pry any wood off a carving; this will break the tip of the blade.
• Your tools must always be sharp.
• Never put anything that bleeds in front of the blade...

     From various Internet websites.