Authentic Nautical Accessories, and Custom Furnishings
Iron ore as a carving material? That's what I've been told this is. As a portrait of a Native American, it's well done, detailed, and has a certain patina of age about it. Knowing that I was a carver, one of my wife's grandmothers gave it to me as a present. She and her husband …
Since writing this post last year, I've worked extensively with some of the purchased wide and thick cherry wood I discuss below. It's very easy to shape and carve. And I love the broad bowls that I can't get with the local wood. But, and but is a really important word here, that Alleghany cherry …
Craft classes are a great way to expand your art and crafts horizons.
Creativity is a strange beast. It's river-like in that it's dynamic and can change channels, bringing life to one and allowing others to dry up. You are a fortunate person to have more than one viable channel.This observation came to me when I unearthed sketches and paintings from the very late 1960s. No, they aren't …
Continue reading "Flashback Friday – from October 11, 2o21 – Like a River"
Here's what I stated last year when I replied to this same prompt: "As I style myself as a ship's carver, I can see myself as an apprentice in the shops of McIntire, Bellamy, Robb, or one of the Skillins brothers. When I visit the Mystic Seaport or Salem's Peabody Essex Museum, I find myself …
The picture above is of my most recent work - "Reefing Before the Blow." Yesterday was my first opportunity to display it for the public. There was a lot of interest in it, so I don't think it will be hanging on my wall for too long. But something interesting was going on with the …
Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble. Tempering is one of the final steps in finishing a piece of treen. The spoons, spatulas, forks, and such get put into a large pot of water and boiled and simmered for a while. The process raises any irregular grain left after the preliminary sanding …
Sometimes, being away from something for a while allows you to examine your old style of doing things and break free. This is one of the reasons I've always deliberately taken breaks from carving in December and January. I don't carve. Instead, I think about design. I go to books, the internet, or museums for …
Continue reading "Stream of Consciousness Saturday – the dry spell"
Experimentation is part of the fun of woodworking—the all-important part that separates your experience's past from its future. The other day, I was messing about in the shop, and a new ( at least to me) method of smoothing spoon bowls came to mind. To back up a bit, I design my spoons with various …
Artists and crafters can become lost among the ads and catalogs of new tools. But it's worthwhile to consider and remember what our most basic tolls can achieve before we rush out and buy the newest thing. For the carver, that toll is the lowly knife. curved chip design whirling circle chip design a house …
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