Cookie, this lovely 89 year old was generous enough to bring and share this carving that her father carved in a Japanese internment camp. She was 12 years old at the time. She remembers that the men that carved together would get their wood from the containers that the food was delivered in. Although the piece of Pine is very detailed the wood is only 3/4" thick x 11" x 27". Check out http://50objects.org for some interesting stories of those times.
Here is a close up of some of the extreme undercutting and detailed carving and the wonderful use of the background texture. Cookie is still surprised that her father had never carved before and never carved after the time in the camps. http://50objects.org
Nicole carved this wonderful spoon from maple. This last Saturday she had a second spoon to finish and wanted to give it as a gift. She had the inside of the bowl carved and needed to shape the back of the bowl and the handle. Using the Shinto saw rasp made fast work of it but one stroke too many and she went through the bowl in a spot. We looked at it and tried to figure out a patch or change to the bowl shape and she finally decided to start over with a new piece. With a new slightly more shallow bowl and a more cooperative wood, cherry, she got it carved and roughed out and ready for final sanding in a very short amount of time. She now has a beautiful cherry spoon for the gift, and the spoon with the hole can be a test piece for how to repair a hole. A win-win.
John finished his grapes and leaves and opted to add some color.
Stan found a wonderful spalted Oak log. After a couple of incarnations it became the cave-like backing for the buddhist head that he had done in a Japanese woodcarving class. Inspired by a picture of a Buddhist monk he added the cloth.
Echo has started on her holiday presents. The knot in the pine made a perfect eye for the shark. Beads and leather make the connections and the fins.
Tyler completed her dancing monkey pantin cut from alder wood with copper wire joints.
Tyler is student teaching and is hoping to make toys with her 4th graders for her "solo" teaching days. In preparation on Saturday she made 3 Balancing Fishermen toys. She will do a few more to be ready.
Laurie finished the wood portion of her Teke inspired mask. Lots of fiber and adornment to add. She did a beautiful job on the coloring and surface design.
Lorraine carved this walnut spiral necklace for her niece.
The Randall spoon and bowl carving classes have started on Wednesday evenings. A large class of enthusiastic carvers.