Odds and ends of carvings

Been busy with different carvings. I will teach a class for beginners in March on boots, and have been busy finishing and creating new carvings for our Artistry in Wood Show, on February 24-25, 2013. Hope to see a good crowd out at the Boise Hotel and convention Center, corner of I-84 and Vista. 
     These boots are for a class in March at Woodcraft. They are fun, especially if I get creative with them. The ones on a base with a horseshoe were inspired by ones I saw on Lynn Doughty's "OutWest Woodcarving" site. They were fun to do, but frustrating. Never try to nail horseshoe nails into a hardwood like walnut! It is hard to do.

 

  

This carving of a fan bear was a lot of fun to do. Somehow I seem to gravitate to bear carvings, at least in the past few months. He will be an entry for me at the Idaho Artistry in Wood Show this February.

This next carving is a miniature carving I did for the show. I have a hard time holding small items in my hands as I carve, so in order to challenge myself, I decided to do a few carvings under 2" tall, to practice my skills, and do something different. When doing such a small carving, you really have to watch details. There is a limit to space for putting in details, so you have to make sure that the ones you put in are effective in creating the picture you want to create. He is 2" tall, 1" wide and 1" deep. Very small and hard to hang onto while carving.

I hope you enjoy viewing these. They are sure a lot of fun to look at and to create. Thanks for any comments and for the look.