A few weeks back someone was in a bad mood. Not only was the fence of the next- door neighbors kicked down but three of the pickets on the my front fence were ripped off, broken and thrown into the front yard. Since I had to repair them I thought I would share the story of the fence.

How the fence got started- There is a tulip picket that lives on the wall in my studio. Here is the story of that picket.

Kurt K holding beginning of walnut carving

Back in the early 1990's I had a woodcarving student, Kurt Kennedy, that came to me to learn woodcarving to carve some replacement pickets for a fence that his mother carved. During World War II Kurt's mother had carved an entire picket fence while her sons were away at war. She had taken woodcarving lessons from a local woodcarving teacher, Charlie Sayers, who taught locally during the 1930's through the 1960's His technique book "The Book of Wood Carving: Techniques, Designs and Projects" has been a long time woodcarving text book. The fence picket was design by teacher Charlie Sayers and the pickets lovingly carved by Kurt's mother.

woodcarving instruction book by Charles Sayer — One of my longtime standard wood carving reference books by local woodcarving instructor Charlie Sayers

After the earthquake in 1989 there need to be work done on my house. We lifted it and added the bottom floor which is my studio space. There needed to be a fence put in and after some thought about design, I decided to carve a picket fence similar to the one designed by woodcarving teacher, Charles Sayers, and carved by his student Mrs. Kennedy, Kurt's mom.

Carved redwood flower and leaf pickets — Start of a new fence

I liked the idea of teacher and students working together. I took two of the picket designs from Mr. Sayers and added a couple of variations of my own. From 1993 to 1995 students helped to carve some of the 104 pickets required. Some students carved one and a few students carved 3 or 4 pickets. Some were senior and are no longer with us and some were youngsters as young as 6 years old.

Woodcarvers sorting and installing pickets — Sorting and installing pickets

When all the pickets were carved it was time for all hands on deck for the Fence Raising Party.

Two young woodcarvers deciding the positions their carved pickets — Cooper and Ian deciding positions of their pickets

There was lots of figuring out where each picket would live. Here Cooper and Ian discuss who's picket would be on each side of the post.

Young girl drilling fence for installation — Young Sara screwing pickets to the rail

Then it was time to secure each picket. Trim head screw on the front and larger screws through the rails on the back. My daughter Sara was on the job.

Four young females installing pickets — The female install team ages 2 to 30

She had some help from neighborhood kids and student Marlene from Holland.

Two dozen woodcarvers in front of the completed carved picket fence — The woodcarver install team

Then we all took pride in our group effort.

Kurt Kenndy signed back of picket fence — Kurt carved two pickets for my fence after he finished the replacements for the fence his mother carved.

Cooper signed back of picket — Cooper signed the back of his picket

Beth and Ben signed the back of pickets — Beth Class of 1993 and Ben age 6 both signed their carved pickets

Carved and painted back of picket — John Wadsworth, one of the students of my woodcarving teacher signed his in his normal elegant style.

Over the years when an occasional repair would be needed or while gardening, it is always a joy to remember each picket that was carved with individual attention and care. Just some of the signed pickets are shown above. Cooper, Sara, and Ben, youngsters at the time are now adults, some with children of their own. And back to the beginning with a picket carved by Kurt, whose mother started the project that inspired it all back in 1940.