I put 3 carvings in the art show this year. I dropped them off today. I have been working on them on and off for the last few months, the last several months for the chief. The piece I call “Four Face” was carved out of cottonwood bark gifted to me from the great carver Alec Lacasse . He has been a great help to me, as teacher, coach, and friend. I’ll let you know if a nab a ribbon or not.
My amazing daughter came for a visit and took some pics while I worked. Her photography is amazing. (Here’s the link to her website). I love her and her work and she always encourages me in my art.
I finished Geronimo. I wish I would have not touched him with paint. Well, what is done is done. Basswood was OK, but not as nice as doing faces in cottonwood bark.
I had some time the last couple nights to get in the studio to do some carving. I did the eyes differently than I usually do using Jeff Phare’s teaching in his “Carving Eyes” book. It think I prefer his way. I know I made them a little to wide and not exactly centered, but had fun just the same.
Enjoying myself, and the art of wood sculpting are more important the the finished product. Not that I don’t want to improve, I do. But I also want to enjoy the peace this artistic expression brings me.
I have been working on my studio. I wanted to make more room f when I host our carving group and to have other men over to carve. I did finish a few projects to get them off the bench and post. I could have sanded the Green Man (from Chris Pye book) forever, so I stained it and will donate it and the cottonwood bark man to a silent auction at our church to help get our youth group to a Haiti Missions trip to HUT Outreach.
I did my first bowl. It’s in black walnut. I was pretty happy the way it turned out and my wife loved it. It was fun to do and a different genre of carving other than faces.
I enjoy carving butternut. I have been gifted some. I wanted this guy to come out of the butternut and have his eyes closed. I did not do a great job on the lips. Continue reading “Coming out of the Butternut”
Here is An American Indian I started with Alec Lacasse, finishing it up. Need some more of this amazing cottonwood bark. Using another one of his carvings (pic beside) to reference for the detail.
I am working on this guy with a stocking cap, out of cottonwood bark from Canada. I am copying a similar carving from the one and only Alec Lacasse . I have to do the beard, which I am not confident in carving, but the only way to learn and get more confident is to do it. I just don’t want to screw it up, after taking so long to do the hat threads. It’s been a busy few weeks so first time carving in awhile. Loved finishing this guy up tonight.
I finally got a few hours today to go out to the studio and do some carving. I had been working on a Green Man, following Chris Pye’s book. I am going to do a lot of sanding on this guy, and do some light green staining I believe. A few more areas to clean up.
Always great to carve cottonwood bark. I appreciate the help on the beard from Alec Lacasse. I’m going to do a little more detailing and then I might give this as a Christmas gift.
Nate Elarton Wood Sculpting 