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Woodcarvings by Maura
Joseph Hartley
First I will give you a little background on myself. I started caving in 1985 and was taught by local neighbor that has since passed away. He and I had a common interest in the art of Wood Carving. I have studied under Mr. Harold Enlow, Rex Branson, and Debbie Edwards just to name a few. I really enjoy carving everything such as Santa's, Indians, Cowboys, animals, fish, and some birds. I am at the present time trying to get into more fish and bird carving. The name of my little venture is Bayou Creations.
At this time it is a part time hobby that I use for stress relief, which seems to work. I work full time for the Federal Government and try to carve at least every evening for a period of time. I am in the process of teaching another person that has a strong interest to learn at this time. I have won many Best of Shows with my carvings and at the latest show I attended I won 5 first places in various categories, Best of Show, and Best Table Display.
Now to your question....Carving is something that everyone wants to try but the dedication to improve and get better is not there in some people. Seems that most people think that if they can't turn out a winning piece they give up. Is it a dying art? At the present time I think a few years ago it was making a come back real strong but today like everything else it may have been just a fad for some folks. At the present time it is still popular but with the hard work and dedication it takes will probably take a turn downward.
Thanks
Joseph Hartley
Grand Cane, Louisiana
Bayou Creations
Frank Lyne
I would characterize myself as a part time professional wood carver. In a good year I might make around 15% of my income from carving. I made my first carving in 1967 while a student at Austin Peay State University at Clarksville; TN. Olen Bryant was my teacher. I produce anywhere from one or two to a dozen or so carvings each year, with asking prices varying from $40 to around $1500. I don't have any particular specialty, but portraiture is my current favorite genre. Lyneart is the name of our web site but we have no official business title. (I shipped a carving to a lady in California. She made the check out to Lyneart. I thought for a while I wasn't going to be able to cash the check.)
I am not widely traveled, nor do I subscribe to any magazines that address the subject of wood carving, therefore I am not particularly knowledgeable about the 'big picture' of wood carving in America or even in the state of Kentucky. I can say that in my opinion, art isn't a field in which forward progress is cumulative, as in the hard sciences, for instance. Different stuff is made here and there at different times by different people. I couldn't buy a clue as to how to define the parameters of the state of wood carving in America. I am willing to meander around the subject some more if you like. Maybe with enough random key tapping I might produce some accidental insight.
Frank Lyne
Near Dot in Logan County, KY
Craig White
A daunting subject. I personally believe that woodcarving in the USA, the entire globe for that matter is solid. There are enough carvers who have taken reality to new, never before seen heights. Where European carvers and woodworkers in the 18-19th C carved rather stylized figures of people and animals in furniture and residential interiors today's carvers’ detailed renditions of living creatures are far and away better than anything ever seen. We have wood burners, power carvers to assist us in detailing where our predecessors did not. Some even resist using these contemporary tools preferring only mallets and chisels and knives. I've done both and today prefer power carvers, knives and wood burners.
In another vein, the early and current carvers of religious sculpture are some of the finest figure carvers and rival anything ever created in marble or other stone centuries ago in Western Europe.
However, having said the above, the general art collecting world still is not ready to forsake wall hung art, i.e.; painting. Lots of color to match the walls, floor covering and furniture. Among the vast majority of buyers offset prints outsell all others because of cost and a general lack of art education.
I can afford to create wood sculpture and enjoy doing so. For permanence, bronze sculpture is superior. Few collectors are interested in sculpture because someone else tells them what is “hot “and what is not.
Do I sound bitter? I might be. I've had this discussion with collectors, gallery owners and the general public. My work is well received but few are willing to spend the money necessary for whatever reason. I guess that the buying public understands Paintings and doesn't understand sculpture. The ones that do like sculpture prefer bronze but can't afford it. I do both but can only cast bronze if a client is willing up front to spring for it. In other words, bronze gets the respect and wood does not. Obviously people do buy wood sculpture from notable sculptors but I feel that this is a very small percentage of the outstanding art available. I guess the great divider is cost. A one of a kind wood sculpture should command a significant price and in some cases receives it but not nearly as often as it should.
Well my friend, there's lots more to say about this but this is the nut of problem and you will most likely find someone to refute all of the above as someone is purchasing all they can turn out at fair prices. I hope this helps.
Best whishes,
Craig White
Wayne Barton
Woodcarving today is far from obsolete as assumed by so many people. This assumption often comes from the observation that churches and governmental buildings today rarely display, if any, woodcarving. It can be seen in cathedrals of the middle ages when the church was the primary employer of woodcarvers. Today woodcarving flourishes in the hands of hobbyists, many who carve as well or better than some of the carving of yesteryear simply because they have the time and leisure to do so and are not tied to a timeline and/or cost. In the years that I have been carving, I have seen the level of competence in competition rise tremendously. Carving is also more diverse than ever before. This can be seen easily in caricature, bird carving, and chip carving, the area in which I specialize.
My name is Wayne Barton, my company name is The Alpine School of Woodcarving, and though I studied formally in Switzerland in all forms of carving, I specialize in chip carving. I have been voted Woodcarver of the Year for 2005. I actually started at the age of 5 with my grandfather and have been carving ever since in one form or another.
Wayne Barton
Illinois
Chris Whillock
Focus: new carvers/hobby carvers
"To me the future of woodcarving is outstanding. There is fantastic potential out there with over 77 million baby-boomers reaching retirement age over the next 20 years. My current businesses and future businesses are specifically targeted to this market. However, woodcarving can also be overwhelming ... and some businesses are afraid to move into this market for lack of knowledge and experience. This is the challenge that I am looking forward to exploring."
Focus: professional woodcarvers
"I see woodcarving growing more quickly in the hobby arena than for the professional carver. I know many woodcarvers that are hurting for work. From my experience you have to love what you do ... it may be very difficult to get paid for all of the time put into a carving and there is a very limited market for their work. However.... hopefully the times are changing and the desire for handcrafted items grows stronger. I'd like to see people supporting their local artists rather than going down to the Super Mega Mart and buying gifts there. "
- I have been involved with woodcarving for 30 years
- We have developed several woodcarving related businesses
- My main income is sales of woodcarving tools & supplies (distributor)
Chris Whillock
Minnesota
woodcarverswarehouse.com
stubaidirect.com
Mary Ellen Dukes
Well, in my VERY limited view (as I haven't been woodcarving that long), I think the general population doesn't think much about wood carving. When they do, I think their attitude is that it's just a nice hobby.
From MY point of view, I look at woodcarving as a form of artistic expression. I got into woodcarving because I needed an outlet. I've always been creative, and you can only crochet so many afghans and sweaters. This desire to create something with wood came to the forefront when I became a field editor for Woodworking for Women and read several articles in there about woodcarving.
From the seller's point: As there aren't that many people I know around here who value woodcarvings as a form of art, I don't think woodcarvers here could command a very high price for their work. Wouldn't I just love to change that! I'm still not very sure what type of carving I want to do, but I am leaning toward reliefs and/or jewelry right now. I have a few ideas already about some original reliefs, but I need experience before I can produce anything near marketable quality. I'm hoping by this time next year I'll be at least creating nice looking pieces I'd be proud to have in my home.
I'm DREAMING that some day I'll be able to sell quite a few of my carvings for decent prices and will have a rep for producing beautiful pieces of art.
Mary Ellen Dukes
Reevesville, SC
Donna Menke
I'm afraid that carving is dying in the US. Most of the carvers are older people and as they die out there are very few youngsters to take their place. When I started carving 10 years ago I was invariably the youngest member of any carving group- at 49. Now, there are a few younger than I am, but probably fewer than 3% of any given carving group.
The boy scouts have long been a source of new carvers, since they had a carving merit badge. I guess there may be fewer kids interested in scouting today because of all the other activities vying for their attention.
I'm sure that there will always be a core group of die-hard carvers (like me) that just love to play with wood and appreciate the infinite challenges provided by attempting to make something out of a hunk of wood.
We will continue to be an older group because most of us are retired folk who have recently found the time to do what we want to do.
Professional carvers are few and far between and they must work very hard to make a living at doing what they love to do. They need to find a niche, something marketable, and fill it. Not too many are successful.
The public, for the most part, does not value the time, effort, and skill involved in carving wood. They look at garage sale, made in China/Thailand, carvings and then at our work and can't figure out why we want so much more. That is why so many carvers make reproductions of their work to sell at lower prices.
Donna Menke
Texas
Karen Evans
(This opinion was written in reply to the last response)
“I'm afraid that carving is dying in the US. Most of the carvers are older people and as they die out there are very few youngsters to take their Place.”
I am afraid I have to disagree with you... In my area Southwestern Lower Michigan... Woodcarving is the fast growing area of woodworking... in just the past 5 years there have been two new woodworking clubs formed and both of them have memberships of over 40 people.. They are active and do woodcarving demonstrations throughout the area and the one sponsors a big Woodcarving show every fall.. As well as having one of the US's largest and most prominent woodworking shows that takes place in Valparaiso in every May.....
I believe that one of the reason that woodcarving in this area is growing is due to that fact that more and more people who live in condo's or apartments and do not have room for workshops still feel the need to work with their hands and love wood . Woodcarving allows this without the need for any large tools.... I work at a specialty woodworking store that sells tools and lumber and the greatest growth in sales has been in both the woodcarving sections both in carving tools and in books and magazines... and if you think this is only a local trend consider that within the past few years how many new woodcarving books have been published the last several years.... Fox Chapel probably has more books on Woodcarving than any other single area of Woodworking... plus the new magazine Woodcarving is doing very well....If Woodcarving were not growing as a trend these companies would not be jumping on the bandwagon...
That said I must say that sales of Woodcarving and Woodcrafts have fallen off greatly over the past few years.... I made my living selling Wooden Toys and gift item for almost 25 years.. Traveling throughout the Midwest and the east doing major Art and Craft Shows and selling to gift and museum shops through the United States..... That market is no longer there due in major part to the influx of imports.... Very few Americans will pay the price of handmade goods when they can buy similar items at Target, Wal-Mart, Pennies, and Kmart for half the price....There are still some exceptions but Poor Quality Craft Shows throughout the Midwest at least, filled with the same import items being passed off as handmade have caused a lot of potential buyers not to even go...
Karen Evans
Niles, MI
Sue Reeves
I think carving is anything but a dying art. Contemporary artists like Teri Embrey and Shawn Cipa and Susan Lordi show us that it is possible to make a living as a professional carver. Susan's Willow Tree figurines are cast in resin from her original carvings, and are mass-produced and sold at a lower price than original pieces (which may offend the purists), but I also think that helps to promote the idea of carving as collectable art.
There will always be people who would rather buy a cheap knock-off from Asia instead of an authentic original, but that applies to any art form, whether carving or fine furniture or painting or quilting or knitting. My husband turns segmented bowls, and would like to sell some (you can only have so many bowls sitting around the house!), but we have been amazed at how little they bring on e-Bay. But, I also know of a woman who sells her pieces for upwards of $900 apiece. I think you need a bit of luck and a bit of persistence to create your niche in the market.
I only started carving this past January, and I'm still working from other people's patterns. Before I started carving I would look at carved pieces and think, "That's cool, I wish I could do that." Now, as I grow as a carver, I look at carved pieces and think, "That's cool, I wish I could do that...can you imagine how many HOURS went into that piece...how in the world do they DO that...and..." I like to think that someday I will progress to the point where I can create something of my own design.
I recently taught a lunch-time carving class to a dozen co-workers. Some have stuck with it and will probably continue to carve, some have not, but they all commented on how much harder it was than they thought it would be. So, education is also a part of the equation. People need to understand what goes into a work of art in order to place a value on it.
I'm obviously not an authority on this, so please take this as one person's opinion. Best wishes on your dissertation. Let me know when it's finished as I would like to read it, too.
Warm regards,
Sue Reeves
Decatur, IN
Ann
Background: First degree in fine art (painting, sculpting, etc.), CPA And MBA in Finance from Northwestern's Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Accounting/Finance workaholic for about 25-30 years. Took up carving about 4-5 years ago after not doing much artwork while I was putting in 12-16 hour days. Have left accounting/finance early and am in the process of setting up my own carving/sculpting studio. (yes, I'm both right and left-brained)
I think that woodcarving is being rediscovered in America as a way to relax from the stresses of everyday life. Unfortunately, not enough of the beginners are young people.
I think that too many carvers undervalue the worth of what they create. Maybe that's an influence of cheap labor elsewhere so that you can buy production carvings at a very low price, but some of the fault has to go with carvers here for not educating and demonstrating what it takes to carve that Santa or bear. Most of the people who I see actually making a living from carving are either architectural carvers, artists who also carve in wood and tend to teach, people who publish and teach or the rare person who has "streamlined" their carving of particular items so that they can turn out a lot of them fast.
I spent some time over in England and found it very interesting that one of the top carvers over there carves an absolutely fantastic original that goes for high bucks, but works with a casting studio to do limited edition cold cast bronze copies of those works at a slightly lower price. That gives the artist the chance to truly recoup/capture the $/hour that he should be getting for the fabulous pieces he generates... knowing that most people wouldn't pay the full price just for the one.
As an artist, I'm disappointed in some of the finishing of carved pieces. It's a shame to see paint glopped onto what is a fine carving.... but that is more a question of educating which I try to do in a small way with the carving group I'm part of by example and demonstration.
There are projects for people of all skill levels in carving. I think that it's a marvelous way to relax and get in touch with yourself. I like it 'cause it allows the child in me to come out and play and the adult to bring that play into the realm of reality.
Ann
Byron Kinnaman
There are several things one can look at to determine the "health" of woodcarving. One is the number of magazines. Up until a few years ago there was only one dedicated to woodcarving in the US, Chip Chats. Now there's three or more with more articles in other magazines.
Another thing is the number of non-show gatherings. Different parts of the country have different names for these gatherings, but generally they encourage carving with a lot of fellowship, a number of carving tips, and mini-lessons. We call them Rendezvous; some other places call them Roundups. I think these, no matter what the name, are great and encourage all levels of carving.
The judging in juried shows seems to be getting better, or maybe I should say more consistent. Judges are getting better training with the judges’ organizations.
Another thing I see is more and more places that sell carving supplies.
All in all I believe that wood carving in a growing activity as a hobby. Can you make a living at it? As with any artistic endeavor, some can, some can't.
Speaking of artistic. I'm seeing more artistic expression than was present a few years ago. I'm not sure if it's because there is more artistic expression or just because there's more carvings. I would like to think the artistic impression is also growing.
Woodcarving has many things to offer many different people.
Some just like to have something to do with their hands while sitting around.
It's an artistic outlet for others.
For a few it's a living.
For me it has several attractive aspects. It started as something to do while backpacking.
It grew into a valuable artistic outlet. It also have brought me close to many people that I now call friends.
Byron Kinnaman
Woodburn, Oregon
Rip Stangroom
For a number of years now I have been seeing a lot of people trying their hand at carving, and then giving it up. As Membership Secretary for the New England Woodcarvers, I notice that many people join the club but never renew after the first year. For what ever reason they move on.
When I became active in woodcarving (1970), NEWC had about fifty members and they ALL exhibited at mall shows. Today we have trouble fielding perhaps 15 or 20 carvers who will take a table or a booth...and that is out of 600 -plus members. The Green Mountain Wood Carvers in Vermont tell me their August show will be smaller than last year when we had perhaps 20 exhibitors. And this year they are introducing competition, with very little interest being shown.
Our every-other-month carving session fills a hall with carvers teaching or wanting to learn. Carving is strictly a "hobby" today, not an obsession. Most of my weekly students only seem to carve in class.
There appears to be still a lot of interest in Carving. They just don't want to "get involved". Like a lot of organizations today, carvers want to join a club, "but don't ask me to become "active".
Rip Stangroom
Started carving at age 11, and still counting.
Member, Membership Secretary, and Past President of the New England Woodcarvers
Member: Green Mountain Wood Carvers, Mystic Carvers club, Connecticut Wood Carvers Guild, Texas Carvers Guild. US Regional Leader for the British Woodcarvers Association. Have been teaching Woodcarving for about 30 years.
Lynn E. Diel
Thanks for the invite for input. I would gauge myself as an expert carver (not master carver yet ;). As a guest carver at Branson's Silver Dollar City, I carve with a lot of different folks from all over the Midwest. There are over 75 carvers who are guest carvers and have works of art for sale. In the Branson/Springfield area, they have over 350 registered carvers in the various clubs.
One thing I see as a guest carver is the number of folks who stop by admiring the carvings. I talk to them and if they are interested I direct them to their local club as well as give them the websites for the free tutorials. Most say they want to carve when they retire and I tell them why wait, take whatever time you can to learn. I am a firm believer that there is a technique as well as an art to carving. The techniques you can learn and the art is from the heart. As children stop by, I will carve a little spirit face in a 1"x1" x 4" block and talk about the tools and the techniques. I discuss the art as we decide what type of eyes or mouth the spirit will have. When I get done, I give it to the child and they are elated. The parents sometimes are interested and other times not.
This year, I was blessed with the opportunity to offer carving classes for kids during the Kid's Festival. I am doing this for 3 days each month during the festival. The first one was the opening days of the festival and I was able to work with 8 different children ranging 6 years old to 12. I worked with them and they carved and painted little cowboy boots out of the Balsa foam. I believe that these children will have an appreciation of carving and perhaps want to continue. The object is to get a spark to light.
I can't think of a better opportunity than to demonstrate the craft and remove some of the mystic that some folks put around it. With all the high-tech gadgets and toys, kids are lacking their ability to think and create on their own. I think that they only way children of tomorrow will appreciate the art and craft of woodcarving is to experience the joy of creating something themselves.
Blessings
Lynn E. Diel
Columbia, MO
Hugh Thompson
As a director in OWCA (Ontario woodcarving association) we are regrouping, with the future in mind!!! adding enthusiastic youth to the executive and trying to expand our exposure efforts in the schools with "woodcarving classes" in an attempt to increase what we call" bench-strength"---at the same time arrangements are in place to physically expand our annual "show" and attract 20,000 interested people instead of a 1000 mildly interested individuals--this again is a major effort to insure the viability of our "ART"---your attempt will certainly pay dividends, as time goes by---warm regards as always
Hugh Thompson (skincarp)
Ontario Canada
Barney Elking
My opinion may not be worth too much as I'm out of the carving "mainstream" here in far northern California. I don't get to more than one or two shows a year. That being said, my opinion is that interest in wood carving is declining a bit. I'm primarily a figurative or caricature carver and it seems like the bloom is off or at least a bit tarnished in that genre. I could be wrong, but it feels like there are fewer new books on the subject as well, which is an indication of lessening interest. I hope I'm wrong as I still enjoy my carving and want to see new and innovative carving subjects and carvings.
Barney Elking
Fortuna, CA
Chuck Trella
Well, I'm a wannabe wood carver. I am 43 and have 4 children. My two boys were in cub scouts and boy scouts and I had my interest in carving re-kindled by their work on the woodcarving merit badge. I have always been fascinated by things rustic & handmade - rustic furniture, Adirondack camps, rustic & folk art. As well as a love of nature & art incorporating natural elements.
Unfortunately, living & working in the NYC area means that I spend 3+ hours per day commuting, so my time for pursuing woodcarving is quite limited. I tracked down a woodcarving club in my area of Orange County NY using the internet, and actually went to a few meetings. It seemed to me that I was by far the youngest person there. Maybe it's because in this area the only people with time to actually carve are retirees whose children have grown and who no longer have to work full time.
I am hoping to develop enough skill to make a little additional income, and create some fun & whimsical carvings to bring a smile to people, and some beautiful artwork to help others appreciate the beauty of nature. Assuming of course I can ever find the time to actually carve - as opposed to reading about it on the internet and in books. <sigh>
Chuck Trella
New York
Anonymous
Maybe the best people to give opinions on this subject are the merchants of wood carving products. I am an intermediate carver from north Georgia, carving caricatures as a hobby. While I have been more "involved" with clubs, shows, etc., in the past, my love of woodcarving hasn't decreased at all. I love anything about woodcarving; books, magazines, websites, absolutely anything. I have been carving on and off for about 10 years. When I first started, I joined the Atlanta Woodcarving Club and one or two local clubs. I became bored with that after a while, but I think that is just my nature. It just wasn't all that rewarding or helpful. I don't see as many new "how to" books coming out as I did a few years ago and that is disappointing because I like to purchase and read those as well. The last couple of years I had stopped carving altogether and that was a disappointment to me. So I attended a couple of classes this year and I have a renewed interest which I hope remains high. There are some enormously talented carvers out there who create beautiful artwork, so I hope interest isn't waning.
Sylda
I think woodcarving is alive and strong. A
member of our club gave a talk &
demonstration at a school in his town. There were a number of young people
very interested; school was out for the summer before any organization could
be completed. He will pickup in the fall where he left off. Our club, Kaw
Valley Woodcarvers, in Topeka, Kansas are discussing putting forth the
effort to contact schools, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, churches, 4-H clubs, &
any other youth organizations we can think of. We believe the interest is
there, we just need to inform the youth how to get in touch with us and then
work with them. Our club needs youth participation badly and we intend to
work to get it. There are carving seminars being scheduled and held well
attended worldwide. Monitor the Woodcarver's List -- most of it's messages
lately have been about attending shows/competitions/seminars; with all this
excitement how can it be waning? Woodcarving is a worldwide hobby &
vocation. Most things cycle in popularity. It is possible that woodcarving
is on the down swing, but personally I don't think so.
Sylda Nichols
Leonardville, KS
Kaw Valley Woodcarvers Association
Topeka, KS
Ralph Scheffler
I would like to think that we have come a long way in carving in the USA, in that we are more willing to share ideas outside our individual homes and shops. The gift of carving is and always will be in the eyes of the beholder, but the extent of the gift is now being shared with others (even if it is only within the family arena). People who have felt self conscientious or inferior of their work to others are accepting there talents within the bounds of themselves - which is all we can expect.
I still feel we are in need of sharing our works, and not always for a ribbon or trophy, but to attract the next generation into this world of carving for personal pleasure. I had the experience of learning from two wonderful Master Carvers; one in the USA and the other in Austria, but only after the age of 50. When I was 12 yrs of age I had the fortune of learning woodcarving in the classroom, but because of occupation, marriage, and children, it only became a part of me on a pleasurable basis after the age of 50. One cannot regret the past, but learn to extend from it the future to others. I have won ribbons, and other honors, but none exceeds the personal pleasure of completing a project that I feel good about.
Ralph Scheffler
Palm Desert, CA
Neil Rippey
I've only been carving for about 5 years now. I think the opportunities in carving are tremendous with the vast numbers of carvers around the globe. I've been intrigued by the willingness of carvers to share their talents, skills and information with each other. Unlike many other things I've been involved in, I don't sense a competitive spirit between carvers. Instead they want to share what they are doing and what they have learned to help pass carving on to the next generation of carvers.
I'm saddened that others in the Arts don't see carving as an art form. I believe we need to do all we can to promote carving as art because it probably pre-dates most of what is passed off as art today.
Neil Rippey
Knotholes Woodcarvers List
Mike and Patty
I'm impressed with the kind of carvers this country has. All (but one) have been helpful and not self-centered.
It's like the German that helped Jessie Owens beat him in the Olympics. They want to see others do better and as a result it shows that they are better.
I am a very good self taught carver with a lot to learn and may I never stop learning.
I hope this is something that will help & that you are looking for God bless.
Mike and Patty
Maura Macaluso
Staten Island, NY
917-494-0008
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