Idaho Artistry in Wood Show

Well, we just finished the annual Idaho Artistry in Wood Show. Overall we had a good turnout and a great time carving, demonstrating and talking to the public. I entered 11 pieces and won 11 ribbons: 4 blues (1st place), 4 reds (2nd place) 2 whites (3rd place) and a yellow ribbon (honorable mention). Altogether, not bad.

This first picture is of the 1st place winners. The firefighter bust won Best of Division as well.

 

This next picture is of the 2nd place entries.

This picture shows the 3rd place entries.

This last picture shows the honorable mention.

I am already looking forward to next year's Idaho Artistry in Wood. Hope to see everyone there.

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.

Grandma and Grandpa carving

I just finished this carving for a former student of mine, who wanted a carving of her grandma and grandpa. She loved the picture. Hope the grandparents also love it.

Thanks for looking, and your comments are always welcome. 

Trying some new stuff...what do you think?

I have been trying some new stuff lately, as well as trying to complete a commission for a former student of mine. These elderly gentlemen were a challenge getting the faces correct, and balancing them on a tie they were wearing. I think it came out OK, but then I am biased.

I will start teaching classes at the local WoodCraft store in January. The plan is to teach beginning carving classes every other month for the first year (2013) then the next year kick it up a notch. Hopefully that will create a group of carvers that want to learn how to get better and are willign to take a few classes along the way, as well as join the Idaho Woodcarvers Guild.

Anyway, here are the new carvings. Hope you enjoy them.

 

Craft Show

 

A few selected carvings.

I enjoy carving.

 

I have not been able to post for quite a while, since I have been busy getting ready for the Meridian Middle School Craft Show, trying to get a lot of carvings ready for sale. So far, after only one day, sales are promising. We'll be back at it again tomorrow, and I would love to sell out. Here's a few photos. hope you enjoy!

Always gets his man!

I just finished this guy. He is a sheriff who always gets his man, even if he looks a little worse for wear after he locks up the bad guy!

 

I carved him for a lady who bought one of my carvings; a carving of a bad guy, sort of an outlaw and she wanted a  lawman to balance out her display. I hope she likes it!

Fun times!

A couple of finished carvings I completed this week. This Boy Scout carving has been sitting on my carving bench for a few years, and I finally got him done. It is a small carving and I plan on getting a larger one finished. I am in the process of doing that as we speak.

This "hippie" bear was done as a request for my cousin, Maryann. She wanted a bear that was of the hippie theme with flip-flops and tie-dye. I think he looks pretty good!

I hope you enjoy looking as much as I enjoyed carving these two carvings. Thanks for looking. Comments are welcome and appreciated.