re-using, recycling, and redeeming old wood

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228. Cottonwood bark and Caricature carving. Progress.

Cottonwood bark and caricatures fit together. The second and third pieces have appeared in earlier posts. They are here for comparison. The first picture below was done early in my bark carving. It is in a piece of cottonwood bark found on the lake shore. Pieces two and three were scrounged years later.

Comparisons tell a story of progress. The first piece is rather thin, found at a time when I didn’t have much wood and anything might do. Also, in trying to avoid the weak crack in the piece, the face is placed far too low in the overall piece. Placing it higher or moving hair or hat higher on the wood, may have helped. Another point of progress is seen when comparing is the depth and quality of the cuts made. The first piece lacks shadows and movement which you see in the other carvings.

What else can you find when you compare these carvings? What about comparing your early and later work? Where have you improved?

Shalom.

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.” Proverbs 23:12

Posted by  |  February 9, 2019 | Categories: Carvings | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

227. Tools of the trade. Two small Chinese knives.

If you love crafting, carving, wood working of any kind you’ve got to love tools. I doubt these two knives are for wood carving, but they are minor works of art in and of themselves. The bone handle and the small pieces of metal remind me that in a pre-industrial age tools were not that easy to come by. I love the personal touch of decoration on the wooden handle. How have you decorated or modified any of your tools?

Shalom.

“Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words.” Proverbs 23:9

Posted by  |  February 8, 2019 | Categories: Carvings | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

226. Other art. Concept for Lake Michigan relief.

Having been born and raised in Michigan, scenes of the Lake front have always been of interest to me. That translates into an interest in capturing the beach and forests found there, either in colored pencil or wood.

Here is a draft of a shore scene. Pines, dunes, sunset, water, and the rest fit my images of Lake Michigan. I like the colors. I like the shapes. Did you catch the mistake? Any suggestions? Will keep this picture ready for the relief carving to be.

Shalom.

Posted by  |  February 6, 2019 | Categories: Carvings | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

225. Wood from other places, China. Tiger maple box??

A friend has this stunning piece in her desk. She has often sat doing her lessons looking at its exciting and interesting color and pattern. It’s symmetry and delicate beauty is attractive. Again, one is thrilled with the careful craftsmanship it took to produce such a piece. How carefully are you working on your hobby? Your own work?

Shalom

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.” Prov 23:12

Posted by  |  January 25, 2019 | Categories: Carvings | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

224. Cottonwood bark. Rustic Cabin

I still like carving bark. This piece was finished early 2018. The richness of the coloring, the rugged feel of the uncut bark, the flow of stairs and arches, and the quaint cottage crowning the piece all add up to a pleasing presentation.

Pictures five and six, closeups, are included to give a better view of the cracked and creviced surface of bark. At times one has to glue chunks back on in order to maintain some of the work completed or the flow of a piece. At other times pieces fall off and one is forced to rethink design to the improvement of the final piece.

Shalom.

“Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.” Prov 22:29

Posted by  |  January 21, 2019 | Categories: Carvings | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

223. Practice what you preach. Questions not to ask, and other things not to say to crafters.

Have you heard that before? I have. And I have said it to many of my students and friends. That makes it all the harder to visit craftsmen and crafts women and not do the same silly or careless thing. Ask those questions all craftspeople always need to answer – what kind of wood (material) is that? Is that as easy to do as it looks? How long did that take. Is it your own idea or did you copy that? Below is another kind of list, things not to say.

But now comes the “judgment of charity.” I always need to remember the visitor is trying to reach out, trying to gain some kind of understanding or to initiate conversation in a world they don’t really understand. Be prepared for the silly(I can do that) to the mundane(What kind of…). Embrace the opening gambit. Play the “game” with joy and pleasure. Perhaps your kindness and acceptance will spark greater things.

Shalom.

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Prov 22:6

Posted by  |  January 20, 2019 | Categories: Carvings | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

222. Bear-ly able to stand it. Table decorations in hotel.

Traveling this month. Unable to take carving equipment along. This set of bears, nicely done, fills the center of our hotel fruit and dessert table. Every day wishing I had tools and wood. Enjoying the work of others and drawing are good fallback positions.

Shalom.

“The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.” Proverbs 22:3

Posted by  |  January 20, 2019 | Categories: Carvings | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

221. Carvers you should know. Janusz Wedzicha.

New carver, same thought thread. These three pictures fit comments I made about some of Ryan Olsen’s work in post 216. The carver here is Janusz Wedzicha. As far as I can tell he is Polish. Some of his information is at the site added below.

Let me repeat my thinking. There is so much good carving out there. But what attracts me to Wedzicha’s and Olsen’s work is the joy of life seen in many of the faces they produce. Evil, angry, sly, pained, crying faces have such potential for the dramatic. Lines, shadows, texture, emotion can be found there. However, for me, life is filled with such things to my dismay, discouragement, or defeat. Why put it into art? What is uplifting about a face in agony or horror? I prefer faces similar to what is shown below. Nice job, Janusz.

Shalom.

https://m.facebook.com/rzezba.w.drewnie/

“Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.” Prov 20:15

Posted by  |  December 21, 2018 | Categories: Carvings | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

222. Carving in the round. Old World Father Christmas.

This is a really old piece. I like the reminders of the story of Saint Nicholas. There was a real Nicholas. He was a 4th Century Bishop of the church, a wealthy man who lived in Turkey. He became well known for his acts of kindness and gifts to the poor and needy.

His reputation was passed on to 16th Century Europe. In England “gift givers” were referred to as ‘Father Christmas,’ France ‘Père Nöel,’ Germany ‘Christkind,’ the Netherlands ‘SinterKlaas’ (notice the tie back to Saint Nicholas). And in America, Sinter Klaas became ‘Santa Claus.’ No matter what the name, this figure reminds me of the original love motivating the gift giver, a tradition worth continuing.

The piece is basswood. The colors are Old World – ivory, winter green, ruby red, white, and gold. The face is medium flesh with a rose wash. All the colors except for white, are a ratio of 1/15 paint to water. It was finished by being dipped in boiled linseed oil.

Merry Christmas, Frohe Weinachten, Joyeux Noël, Vrolijk Kerstfeest.

Shalom.

“Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure.” Prov 20:28

Posted by  |  December 20, 2018 | Categories: Carvings | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

220. Carving in the round. Sparrows, Rocks, and Matthew 10.

Birds and rocks and wisdom. That is what these pieces are about. I love the curves of the birds against the less smothered curvy lines of the rocks and the straight lines of the sing and lettering. The contrast is pleasing.

I also like the dark branch lines running through in pictures 2 and 3. Basswood can have these lines at times. It makes for interesting coloration if you can work it into the piece.

Shalom.

“Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.” Prov 17:1

Posted by  |  December 20, 2018 | Categories: Carvings | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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