- The Woodcarvers Gazette

THE
WOODCARVERS
Gazette
Published by the British Woodcarvers Association
Volume 3 - Issue 2
Autumn 2013
Interviews:
Sharon Littley
Bjarne Jespersen
Reports:
Treefest 2013
Woodentops Summer Show
Cowper & Newton Museum Visit
European Woodworking Show 2012
Gloucestershire Summer Seminar 2013
Features:
Carving Found Wood
The Structure of Trees
A sideways look at Carving Supplies
ISSN 1753-3651 £3.50
(Free to BWA Members)
Double Star by Bjarne Jespersen
9 771753 365012
1
2
NOTICES
Membership Renewal
If you haven’t paid your £20 membership fee for
2013/14, please do so as soon as possible. Half
of your membership fee goes straight back to your
regional group to support your meetings and club.
Pay your Regional Leader in cash or by cheque
(with your membership number on the back)
OR
Send the Membership Secretary a cheque
(with your membership number on the back)
BWA Membership Secretary
16 Coney Hill Road,
West Wickham,
Kent
BR4 9BX
European Woodworking Show
Carving Competition 2013
Just a quick reminder to get carving your entries for the
2013 carving competion held at Cressing Temple on 21st
& 22nd September.
If you wish to enter but are unable to attend the show
we can arrange to receive postal entries and ensure their
safekeeping and ultimately return them to you after the
event. If you have any questions regarding postal entries or indeed the competition in general please contact
either:Ken Veal by telephone on 01277 899684
e-mail on [email protected]
or
Brian Pitcher by telephone on 01277 651672
e-mail on [email protected]
ERRATA
In Volume 3 Issue 1 of The Woodcarvers Gazette, several photos were labelled up as Mick Mills (Hamlet Wood
Region) and should have been labelled up as Mick Martin
(Essex Region). Apologies to both of you for the error.
Some of you may also have noted my typing error on
page 23 when trying to type Grinling Gibbons.
EDITORIAL
Welcome to the Autumn
issue of The Woodcarvers
Gazette. The Summer
issue seems to have been
quite a success with many
positive comments and
feedback. I have tried
to make this issue just as
good and hopefully you
will all like it just as much.
Again, please don’t hold
back from making any
comments, criticism or
suggestions (my email
address is on the back
page). The Woodcarvers
Gazette is your magazine
so your opinions will be
taken into account.
the members gallery for
the next issue, email me
or use the form on www.
thewoodcarversgazette.
co.uk
I am trying to interview
woodcarvers and other
people with something
to say on the topic of
woodcarving or who have
a particular carving talent.
If you would like to be
interviewed or would like
to suggest someone for
me to interview, please
email me.
On the website www.
thewoodcarversgazette.
co.uk I have put up
I have had many article
submissions for this issue
which I would like to
thank all of you for. I have
squeezed most of them
in but if your submission
hasn’t been included in this
issue, I haven’t forgotten
about you and will aim to
include your submission in
the next issue.
several opinion polls to
try and get some useful
or annecdotal information
that can be published in
the gazette. Please take a
look and cast your votes.
Currently in Helen Smith’s
search for a plurral word
for woodcarvers, the
most popular suggestion
is still unclear with four
suggestions running equal.
If you see any interesting
carvings on your travels,
why not send me a photo
for inclusion in the out
& about section. Large
carvings with a dramatic
impact are always worth
a look.
This issue of the gazette
is a few days late in
publication but the winter
issue should be published
on time at the beginning
of December.
Please keep the photos
and articles coming in,
they are all welcome and
as members of the BWA,
we are all keen to see
what everyone else is up
to I’m sure.
If you would like to submit
one of your recently
completed carvings to
Jason Townsend
3
OUT & ABOUT
OBITUARIES
Sarah Lawrenson, a keen
wanderer, finds some Owls on her
travels this time...
George Wroot
George was the Retired Regional
Leader of the BWAWest Midlands
Group . He died suddenly on Sunday
14 July, just a few weeks after the
death of his wife Barbara.
He was a tireless worker for our
region, always on the front line,
building up the membership and
raising the region’s profile.
He organised carving demonstrations,
events and shows. Can any of
our older members forget the
‘MARQUEE’ at Kings Heath,
“How are we going to fill this with
carvings George?” He did fill it; he
was never in any doubt. He was
that sort of person, a man who
could, when asked, fill a marquee.
Through George, the region donated
carvings and raised money for
charities – many close to his heart;
Air Ambulance, The Lord Mayors
Charity, Alzheimer’s and the Stroke
Association.
This lakeside Owl is a carved
mooring post, looking out over
Derwent Water at Keswick
An owl is from Dunham Massey in
Cheshire (National trust property
and home to Grindling Gibbons
resurrection)
Paula Noble spotted this Grinling
Gibbons carving of fish at the
National Trust’s Oxburgh Hall
near Swaffham
By Sarah Lawrenson
He spent wisely when he was our
region’s treasurer. He always led
with certainty as Leader. A really
good negotiator – it must have
been his ‘Northern charm’. He
encouraged everyone and was never
lost for words. A fault – we all have
them: He could never say no to
free wood. The rubbish he would
sometimes bring along to the club
made us groan and smile, but he
meant well!
He battled a stroke 3 years ago but
made a great recovery and was soon
back to his carving.Nothing was ever
too much for George, his legacy to
our region is immeasurable. Without
his dedication, tenacious direction
and just plain hard work, it wouldn’t
be what or where it is today! We
owe him many thanks.
A good friend, well-liked and much
loved – he will be greatly missed.
By Gill Lidsey
4
Woodentops Summer Show
The Woodentops Summer Show was held at
Cooling’s Nursery Hall in Rushmoor Hill, Kent, on
5th May 2013. All in all, the event was a great sucess.
Anne High specialises in miniature carvings
Mary Paddick supervises the popular soap carving for youngsters
Our original Leader Mick Cuomo, displays his magnificent art
A hall full of carvings and people
Our logo carved by various members - one letter each. A
competition at this Show chose the best letter (people’s
choice). Winner was Tom Young, for the letter W.
Jan demonstrates
By Clive Nash
5
BWA Woodcarvers @
Cowper and Newton Museum,
House and Gardens
in Olney, Bucks
Our aim was to whet the appetites of non-carvers
and to re-inspire those who hadn’t handled a gouge for
many years. I would like to thank BWA Essex region
represented by Michelle Toon, Hugh Ingram and Dave
Colvin, from BWA Oxfordshire/ South Bucks region, Jeff
Wheeler, and Terry, Janet and Alan of the BWA Herts
region for their unstinting support all day. They showed
such patience, kindness and bags of enthusiasm to our
visitors. The children were enthralled with soap carving
and Dave bravely let them sand the base of his rather
splendid Pied Piper. We had lots of interest from the public
who also came to enjoy the museum and tranquil gardens
( Janet captured the flowers perfectly, as she painted
them into her sketch book). Many visitors stayed with us
most of the day to enjoy soap and balsa wood carving.
A family enjoy Dave’s enthusiasm for carving
Picture a garden full of English flowers dating back to
the 17th century, birds singing their songs and the sun
showering this idyllic scene with a warm glow. Could
anything have enhanced the gardens of the Cowper and
Newton Museum on Sunday 21st July 2013 anymore?
Yes! It was the addition of gouges tapping on wood
from my friends in the British Woodcarving Association.
Dave Colvin carves his Pied Piper
Two visitors had travelled many miles to see if woodcarving
was for them – the BWA carvers had them hooked! Interest
was shown in setting up a new region in North Bucks –
we hope this may become possible one day. The BWA is
truly a special bunch of people who pull together to make
Hugh Ingram
6
Jeff Wheeler shares his advice
BWA Berkshire
Some of the Berkshire region members attending a
display that they put on for a local Church Garden
Party near Reading on June 15th.
We were able to exhibit some of our members’
carvings and sell some smaller items, all the proceeds
of which went to the Church Organ Fund.
Visitors travelled from afar to try carving and were hooked!
By Roger Edwards
A group absorbed in carving with balsa wood and soap
the most of their precious carving time. The Association
is all about sharing love for wood carving including the
frustrations and successes (thank you to Dave for sorting
out my Christmas scene relief perspective issues!)
The Cowper and Newton Museum would love to have us back
next year. If you are keen to join me again, let me know some
dates next July and I’ll arrange it. I will bake us another cake!
BWA Norfolk & Suffolk
On the 6 - 7th of July the Norfolk and Suffolk group
attended the Heveningham country fair, we had 2
days of wonderful weather and lots of interested
people, we have already had a gentleman join us
having had a chat at the show.
Another huge thank you to Michelle, Dave, Hugh, Jeff, Terry,
Janet and Alan without whom the day would’ve been far less fun!
By Belinda Newstead
Luke and Ryan enjoying the soap carving
By Paula Noble
7
An Interview with Bjarne Jespersen
Bjarne Jespersen is a master woodcarver from Denmark,
witha passion for ‘Magic’ woodcarvings. He specialises in
mathematical forms of astounding complexity.
How did you get into carving, were you taught?
I have always had the urge to do things with my hands.
I enjoyed the woodworking lessons we had at school
and was good at it. As a boy I made brooches out of
wood and coco-nut shells for my mother and sisters.
The magic carving started when I was seventeen. I had
bought a new knife on a trip to Sweden and wanted to
see if I could carve a loose ball within a stick that I found.
My elder brother had made a beautiful paperknife some
years earlier that really impressed me. It had a ball inside
the handle and beautifully inlayed leaves on the blade. I
certainly did not reach his level of refinement, but I did
manage to loosen two balls inside the stick and a chain link
at the top. This was my first magic carving. I have come
a long way since then and I have had to teach myself
everything.
What sort of tuition or courses do you
think would benefit someone starting out in
woodcarving?
As far as magic carving goes I do not know of any courses
except a few that I have given myself for beginners. But
any whittling course that teach you how to handle sharp
tools and give you a feel for the nature of wood will be an
advantage.
What was the first thing that you carved?
I already told you about my first magic carving. What I
might have carved earlier, I simply don’t remember and it
would not have been more important to me than what I
was drawing or making out of clay or paper.
What aspects of woodcarving are you most
passionate about?
Obviously the desire to impress people by making what
seems impossible has been a powerful motivation and
still is. But gradually the joy of searching for new models
by creative use of geometry has become more important
to me. But still it is as objects for magic carvings that I
value them. Otherwise I might just as well have them
3D-printed.
How do you keep your tools sharp?
I always carry my tools in a small pencil pouch, so I need
something that is small enough to fit in there. For many
years I had a small artificial grinding stone with a coarse
and a fine side. It fitted in a small box that I made from
one end of a fine cigar box so that I could open it with
either side up. Alas, it was stolen some ten years ago
and now I use a modern diamond coated steel sheet in a
plastic case. It works fine and it’s much smaller than the
stone I lost.
Tetra Knot
8
Where do you find inspiration for your carvings?
Most of my inspiration comes from the study of solid
geometry – the many families of symmetric solids with
varying degrees of regularity, the most basic of which
are the five Platonic solids. The magic spheres, the
tessellated balls that are my new field of work, are very
much inspired by the famous Dutch artist M. C. Escher,
who is the absolute master of figurative tessellations. I am
hoping, however, to be able to learn how to develop my
own tessellations.
manual skills. The problem is not just that the kids do not
acquire those skills but that they learn they are less worth
than academic skills. The fact that these aspects of life
are closely related is not acknowledged. One of the most
remarkable books I ever read is a study of mathematics
by two cognitive psychologists (Lacoff and Nuñes) as a
case of how human reasoning works. They prove very
convincingly that mathematics, the most abstract subject
we have, is nothing but layers upon layers of abstractions
and generalizations by analogies based on simple concepts
such as “containment” and “path” that are acquired as
bodily experiences in early childhood. This should be
required curriculum for all coming teachers.
Wave Packet
Do you have a favourite wood to use?
Wood from fruit trees is ideal for magic carving. It has the
required density and evenness and is not too hard. Pear
is perhaps the best to carve but I find the colour and lack
of visible structure somewhat dull, so I prefer cherry or
plum. But I like to try many different kinds of wood, also
more exotic hardwoods. Since you have to work slow in
any case, it doesn’t matter so much if the wood is a little
harder to carve.
Where do you do most of your carving?
I guess most of the work has been done at our dining
room table. The initial sawing is done in my workshop
where I can hold the piece in a vise. After that I can cary
the work with me wherever I go, like knitting. I like to
bring a project with me when I travel. I sit in parks and
at café tables holding the piece in my left hand. The basic
tools easily fit into a leather pencil pouch.
Why do you practice the art of woodcarving?
I do it because I love it. It’s such a relaxing sort of work;
it gets me into a meditative state of mind. I also feel some
obligation to do it because I can: If I don’t carve these
objects nobody else will and I feel that would be a shame.
Are there any artists or craftsmen that you find
particularly inspiring?
I have known Escher’s work almost from the start and he
has been a major inspiration throughout. In later years,
through the internet, I became acquainted with two
American artists who uses geometry in ways similar to
mine: Bathsheba Grossman and George Hart. Whereas
I needed structures with interlinked parts for my magic
carvings, and would discard any structure that formed
a connected whole, they tended to do the opposite,
thinking that a sculpture should be a connected shape. As
Bathsheba once put it: ‘We seem to have complementary
minds’. I visited them both when I went to the US for
the preparation of my book. George kindly agreed to
write the foreword for the book, and, more important, he
got me involved with an organization called Bridges that
convene every year in an effort to bridge the gap between
art and mathematics. I just returned from my fourth
Bridges conference, this time in Holland, and it has been
enormously inspiring to meet with some three hundred
people of a similar mindset.
How do you think more people can be
encouraged to take up woodcarving?
The schools have a great responsibility here and I’m afraid
the tendency points in the wrong direction. Schools focus
more and more on academic skills at the expense of
Magic Sphere with Lizards
Do you have any advice for anyone attempting
intricate carvings like yours?
First of all do not attempt anything complicated until you
have completed one or two simple projects. Success will
encourage you to go on, while failure tends to do the
opposite. Then there are my four golden rules:
- Work in small steps and complete each step all way
round keeping attention to symmetry.
- Always leave a little extra material to be removed later.
For each step the extra material will be less and less until
you finally remove it with sandpaper.
- Let the tools do the work. Look for ways to avoid
excessive pressure, like cutting at at different angle or
sharpening the tool.
- Don’t rush. Magic woodcarving is for pleasure, so why
hurry? You will enjoy it more and make fewer mistakes if
you work slowly.
For further information see Bjarne’s book reviewd in
Volume 3, Issue 1 or visit Bjarne’s website
www.lommekunst.dk
By The Editor
9
TRE EFEST
BWA @‘Treefest
Westonbirt, Gloucestershire
24th – 26th August 2013
The bank holiday weekend at ‘Treefest’ was a huge
success, where we enjoyed catching up with our
BWA friends from Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire,
South Wales, Essex and West Kent. We were
treated to loads of visitors with bountiful questions
and fascinating information to share with us too. The
regions’ display boards were as impressive as ever.
The carvings entered into a public vote to win the
much-coveted Westonbirt Trophy really challenged
our visitors who found it hard to choose just one
winner. One lady insisted she should be allowed to
vote for three of them!
Whilst Lynn Kimm of the Herts region had the voting
under control, our fellow woodcarvers were working
on their latest projects, all with gorgeous human
stories behind them.
oak in which to carve a special 50th birthday spoon
for their son. What a lucky lad! Maureen explained
that she had been inspired by a design from Sharon
Littley of ‘Heartwood’. Sharon used to be the
Regional Leader of South Wales and is now carving
professionally. (See Sharon’s 5ft (!) spoon made for
IKEA here: www.sharonlittley.com/family-profiles).
David Edwards was carving a Scottie dog, secretly
hoping it will turn out better than his Dad’s, Derek
(current regional leader for South Wales). How
lovely that father and son are enjoying this hobby
together. (My daughter is desperate to join me in the
Herts region – hum, my dilemma is do I encourage
her, or continue to enjoy a few hours of peace once
a month? Bless her!!). Derek had carved green men
into green wood. The effect was amazing – the little
men seemed more alive!
David Edwards
On the South Wales table (I hadn’t noticed a dog
under their table until I looked back at the photos!),
Ron Jones was fashioning a tulip mirror surround, as
Eric Danter was lovingly carving a beautiful spoon
for his granddaughter’s christening. Isla will adore it
when she’s old enough to appreciate her granddad’s
craftsmanship. Dave Lambert who once worked
in the coal mines of the Garw Valley was carving a
miner from teak. Maureen, Dave’s wife, had chosen
10
Gill Deacon with Stan Kimm
Jean and Maurice Harper, regional leaders of the
Gloucestershire region were proudly displaying
their group’s talented carvings. Lyn McCracken
took lots of professional photos of the entries for
the Westonbirt Trophy competition. She took the
award winning photos too, the results of which you
will have to wait for until the end of my article.......!
On their table, they had a series of rabbits in various
states of completion. A design by Lyn McCracken,
Dave Johnson uses this shape as an introduction
piece for new carvers to their region. Many new
carvers, many new rabbits, all with their own little
personalities!
Outside the display marquee were Michelle Toon
with her loveable meerkat (Orlov Toon’?!). He
began his life at the Cowper and Newton Museum
in Olney and has come on so much since then. He’s
already showing ‘chief lookout meerkat’ skills! Dave
Johnson was carving an amazing pair of shoes in lime,
to be modelled as part of his friend’s college project.
They will be attached to an elegant pair of feet with
ribbons. I hope Dave will share the finished photo of
them in a future Gazette. They are astonishing!
Our youngest visitor, Silas (meaning ‘Man of the
Wood’), was showing early woodcarving abilities,
quite at home with a mallet under the age of 5! He
took a shine to ‘Orlov Toon’!
And now on to the awards...
Well, much to our surprise the British Woodcarvers
Association won ‘Treefest’s Most Inspiring and
Original Use of Wood’ award!
A certificate was presented to us along with a
Japanese Maple. Where shall the Maple reside?
Watch this space - we will let you know....
Natasha hoping to carve a rabbit one day
The Herts region ‘Hertfordshire Quilt’ attracted
people eager to share stories of their memories of
each place depicted upon it. Each major place within
Hertfordshire has been carved by different members
of the group, showing historical and geographical
points of interest. Stan Kimm added a new creation
to the table – a snake with a chain of Mobius rings
hanging from its forked tongue. That must’ve taken
some super concentration to carve.
We won the ‘Treefest’ award!
Our youngest visitor to show - Silas!
Ron Jones and Maureen Lambert
11
Westonbirt Trophy 2013
Our huge congratulations go to Bryan Harris, this
year’s winner of the ‘Westonbirt Trophy’, with
‘Barn Owl and Mouse’. A super piece of work, to be
enjoyed from all angles.
Second place went to Tony Bush with his
‘Dormouse’ and third place was won by Richard
Pepperd with ‘Kioni’. Well done indeed to you all –
and you’re all from the Gloucestershire region!
The carvings pictured were all entries for the
Westonbirt Trophy, which is voted for by the public.
Photographs s by Lyn McCracken and Paula Noble.
Westonbirt Trophy presentation
Winner of Westonbirt Trophy 2013, Bryan Harris
Tony Bush - 2nd prize
12
Richard Pepperd - 3rd prize
Barn Owl and mouse, Bryan Harris.
Doormouse, Tony Bush
Kioni, Richard Pepperd
Kioni, Richard Pepperd
Spike Milligan Memorial, Mark Davis
Baccus, Ian Todd
See our
extensive
range of Blanks
Dilemma, Lyn McCracken
Dobby, Chalky White
Lots of Lime
Woodcarving
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sizes
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plus many more leading brands
pfeil
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We hold regular Woodcarving
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one of the UK’s best known carvers
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Phone for
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visit our
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Tel: 01768 891445. Fax: 01768 891443.
email: [email protected]
13
www.toolsandtimber.co.uk
An Interview with Sharon Littley
Sharon Littley is know to many of you as an excellent
carver and many like me probably own the book on
Lovespoons that she co-authored. In this interview she
explains her inspirations and and how it came about that
she should be a woodcarver.
How did you get into carving, is there a family
history of carving?
As far as I am aware, there is no history of carving in my
family, although my Aunt has just found a money box that
was made by my great-grandfather that had thumbnails
carved around the edge of the lid. I got into carving, aged
33, after my husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Two years after his intensive radiotherapy he needed to
get out to meet people and, as his driving license had been
taken away and he could no longer work, it meant I had
to drive him there and back. As there was nothing else of
interest on the adult education syllabus I decided to have
a go and haven’t looked back. As the saying goes, out of
every grey cloud there is a silver lining and woodcarving
became my silver lining.
What was the first thing that you carved or
whittled?
A lovespoon. We were given paper and pencil and had
to design a spoon. Someone I shared my bench with cut
my spoon out and showed me how to hold the chisel and
that was about all the tuition I had at that point.
What sort of tuition or courses do you
think would benefit someone starting out in
woodcarving?
Any course that you can attend is of enormous benefit
as the tutor usually assists with your learning by showing,
for example, techniques, tool handling, sharpening and
finishing which is much better than struggling by yourself.
If there aren’t any courses then see if there are any
groups such as the British Woodcarvers Association and
join them – there is usually someone in the group that is
happy to help and give information.
I attended the City and Guilds Woodcarving Course with
Dick Onians and found this beneficial especially as you can
pick up tips and ideas from other people as well as from
the tutor.
What aspects of woodcarving are you most
passionate about?
All aspects. When I first made the transition from a
hobby carver to professional, as a Welsh person, I didn’t
want to specialise in lovespoons. I wanted the challenge
of carving all sorts of things and this is what I have done,
although I have carved a lot of commissioned lovespoons
and co-authored a book on them too!
Where do you find inspiration for your carvings?
In all sorts of places. For example, one of my City
14
and Guild’s projects’ was to carve ‘an everyday object
of irregular shape. As I was in my room the evening
before the weekend course began I looked around and
everything was of regular shape i.e. square/oblong/
rectangle, and then I glanced to the floor and there lay a
much loved and well worn pair of ankle boots and that
became my ‘project’. It still remains one of my favourite
carvings to this day.
Do you have a favourite wood to use?
No, I don’t, although I use Maple quite a lot. I particularly
like this because it’s light in colour so will show the
detail I include in my carvings and is strong in structure
which means I can create delicate work that will maintain
strength especially whilst working it.
Why do you practice the art of woodcarving?
Because I love it. Wood is a fabulous medium (and
I’ve tried many other crafts). Transforming a block of
wood into whatever you want is both rewarding and
therapeutic. When you see the shape emerging it inspires
you to continue and, as a professional, there is nothing
better than seeing the pleasure on the face of the new
owner or hear the pleasurable intake of breath when
they see their commission for the first time – it makes the
challenge worthwhile.
Are there any artists or craftsmen that you find
particularly inspiring?
There are at least 4 that spring immediately to mind. The
first is Ray Gonzales. I first saw Ray’s work at Wembley
when he’d just finished a female figure standing legs
akimbo with the wind blowing a shawl onto her back. It
was stunning and realistic. I was fortunate to attend a 2/3
day carving course with Ray back in the early 90’s and
have valued that experience still to this day.
The next person would, of course, be Ian Norbury.
Having visited his exhibitions when he held them at his
Studio in Cheltenham (before moving to Ireland) you
cannot help but be in awe of his talent.
Third, is Dick Onians. Having attended many City and
Guilds weekend courses with Dick I never cease to be
amazed at his extensive knowledge – he is a mine of
information. If I knew a fifth of Dick’s knowledge I’d be
pleased but, alas, my knowledge doesn’t even come that
far up the scale. I once spent my week’s salary (I was
teaching Lovespoon Carving at Missenden Abbey, Bucks.,
at the time) on purchasing one of Dick’s ‘maquettes’ – a
sort of abstract carving of the vaults? in Church ceiliings
and it was worth every penny.
Finally, Grinling Gibbons must feature in the list. His
skill and techniques used must be applauded. Visiting
Petworth House, West Sussex, was a delight, as was the
exhibition of his work at the V&A museum a few years
ago.
Where do you do most of your carving?
At my workshop, although I have been known to take
work with me when I’m teaching away so that I can
work on my commissions when everyone has left the
workshop.
Do you have a favourite subject for carving?
No, although I quite like carving animals.
Do you have any anecdotes about carving or
any of your carvings?
Of the time I was commissioned to carve a lovespoon
for the sister of this particular person. It was the sister’s
50th anniversary and I was asked to put lots of roses
and hearts into the design. The person had attended 2
courses with me and I asked for the usual non-refundable
deposit that I take on confirmation of order. This didn’t
arrive but, as I knew her, I continued to carve the spoon.
Towards the end, I wrote for the balance and this didn’t
come either. By now I loved this spoon and really didn’t
want to part with it so was hoping that the person
wouldn’t want it. As she was due to attend another
course I dutifully took the spoon with me ready to explain
that I was happy to keep it but, before I could open my
mouth, she thrust an envelop into my hand with all the
money inside. She didn’t have a bank account and hadn’t
received my letter and did most certainly want the spoon
– what a shame, it would have looked lovely hanging on
my wall!
Of how an accidental meeting in America of a
contemporary spoon carver, can prove to be a lucky
encounter. My friend Clive Griffin and I visited a
Woodturning Symposium and stumbled upon this table
of spoons. As we were looking at them the owner
appeared and we started talking/explaining about welsh
lovespoons, showing him photos of mine. He handed me
a business card and I gave him mine. By the time we got
home Norman had emailed me and commissioned me
to carve a spoon for him. He wanted a spoon carved of
Mother Goose and, again, this is another of my favourite
commissions. I carved this wizened woman reading a
story to a goose who craned his head to look as if he
15
could read the book himself. This beginning has lead
to an established friendship and an exchange of ‘long’
emails. Norman has since gone on to publish a book of
his Contemporary collection (which now totals over 300
from around the world) and Mother Goose features in
it – she’s also been an exhibition piece at many events and
talks he’s given. Norman is now making plans to hand
over his collection to a museum for posterity.
Another commission was for me to carve a ‘pineapple’
ring (to wear on a finger and not the edible kind). The
person explained that as his relationship moved to a
more serious relationship with his girlfriend (and I’m not
sure where the pineapple fits into it) but she said that,
if he ever proposed to her he would need to do it with
a ‘pineapple’ ring as that’s the only way she’ll know he’s
serious. Needless to say, he proposed on Christmas Eve
and she accepted – the wedding takes place this month
and I’m sure their year old baby will be a ‘flower girl’.
Finally, although somewhat sad, last year I was asked to
carve an upright standing bear carrying a toolbox. After
discussing ideas and agreeing price, the gentleman told
me the carving was to be a memorial for his family as he
had been diagnosed with Cancer. His children called him
Daddy Bear – hence the bear - and he wanted the bear
to carry a toolbox as Philip made many things in wood.
Unfortunately, Philip never got to see a photo of the
bear, let alone the finished piece, as his Cancer was more
aggressive than anticipated. Needless to say the family
were thrilled with the bear when I delivered it to them.
They then showed me some of Philip’s work which was
superb - he made a fabulous Thomas the Tank Engine
(and Annie the carriage) for his son when he was young,
then, when he’d outgrown it Thomas was used to raise
money for the Church and Charities. There was an awful
lot of emotion that went into the carving of the bear but
what a wonderful person Philip was to make sure that
there was something, as a reminder of him, for his family
– not that they needed reminding of course.
By The Editor
16
John Boddy’s
Woodspirit carving with
Peter Berry
Fine Wood & Tool Store Ltd
The students of a one day course on carving a wood
spirit head, held at Gayle Mill, Hawes, proudly show
their days work. The course was excellently tutored
by Peter Berry, and the students each carved into
a piece of Lime their own interpretation of Peters
log spirit carving, as seen on the bench in the photo.
Each student was also given a log to take home in
which they could further put into practice the skills
learned from the course.
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By Darren Hird
POLL
Pfeil Carving Tools
We hold the largest stock of Pfeil wood
carving tools & accessories in the UK.
Over 2000 tools in stock
Pfeil catalogue on request.
How do you prefer to sharpen your tools? There
seems to be such a variety of possibilities from
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grinders and diamond steels. Vote in the online poll
to see what the most popular methods are.
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Abranet Sanding
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Woodcarving Books
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Please vote for your favourite at :
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Chris Pye shop
Kirjes Sanding System
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Norton Sharpening Stones
Gransfors Bruks Carving Axes
Ron Hock Carving Knives
Bordet Carving Machine
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Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01473 784983 Fax: 01473 785724
www.classichandtools.co.uk
17
A Sideways Look at
Carving Supplies
Gawking at new carving tools and the huge range of
other carving-related items that I tell myself I tell are
simply indispensable to own if I am to improve my
carving skills is, for me, one of the great pleasures of
carving as a hobby. Items are added with impunity to
the Christmas present list, and even if this ends up
being ignored by friends and family, I at least have had
the joy of finding new and interesting products.
No doubt I’m like others, who get inspiration and
seek out carving supplies from advertisements in
carving magazines, from the well-known websites,
or (better, but getting rare by the day) by thumbing
through catalogues from one of the good well-known
suppliers. One day, after not finding what I wanted in
the usual places, I started searching further afield on
the Net. The results were very fruitful.
My first foray was for some magnifying lenses. The
usual carving suppliers had these, but there was
generally a limited range. I then found Quicktest,
a Watford based jewellery supply company which
has a huge range of magnifiers, including the sort
surgeons wear (but much cheaper than operating
room-grade products) plus reading lamps, hand-held
magnifiers and all sorts. Of course, as their website
is badged for jewellers it is not the first that comes
to mind for carvers, or indeed the first that Google
finds when you start searching on the Web. Not
only does it have a great range, but there’s very
useful explanatory text so you can identify which is
best for you. And being a jewellers’ supplier, it has
other things of interest to us woodies, such as bench
clamps, hand vices, polishing mops and rouge for
tool sharpening – all at reasonable
prices.
See www.quicktest.co.uk
That led me to think of dental suppliers. Bracon,
for example, has a wide range of dental equipment,
including burrs for carving, as well as modelling tools
(designed to carve wax tooth models, but great if
you want to make a clay or plasticine maquette for
your next project). They do Swann Morton scalpels
too, a range of miniature saws and those pointed
scrapers that dentists use, horribly but effectively,
to probe the corners of your mouth, but which are
also ideal to add fine detail to carvings. Bracon is
at http://www.bracon.co.uk. It has a very helpful
18
helpline. BDSI, another dental supplier, sells burrs
and sanding materials as well as face masks and
dental picks, in particular it has reasonably priced
diamond burrs :
See www.ukdentalsupplies.com
Watch makers’ suppliers are worth a look as well.
Eternal Tools has some interesting diamond
burrs which they say are: ‘for engraving, carving and
sculpting in glass, stone, ceramics and hard wood,
plus grinding work in Lapidary and jewellery. Due
to the diamonds being sintered they are extremely
durable’.
See www.eternaltools.com/diamondsintered-burs/
Diamond wheel grinders by the same firm are also
surely worth a look – the website quotes one user
who said: Diamond wheels have transformed my
life. They come into their own when I have an odd
shaped tool, challenging on a water stone but a
piece of cake on the diamond wheel, which makes a
significant improvement to the finish I can get”
See www.eternaltools.com/small-diamondgrinding-wheels/
I’d not come across Derbyshires before this surfing
adventure, and they supply an excellent range of
carving products (including carving blanks) and their
items are particularly for those who favour power
carving.
See www.
aderbyshire.co.uk
So the moral is ‘Look Around’. Use your search
engine with imagination and you could be surprised
what you turn up. You may find just the products you
want in unexpected places – quite possibly at very
good prices.
By Clive Nash
Conniscliffe Carving Club
Eddie was a member of Coniscliffe Carving Club
from the inaugral meeting and had been a member
of the British Woodcarvers Association for quite a
few years prior to that. He passed away in march
2012 after a short illness. He was 76years old and
had worked in the ship building industry as a Marine
Architect.
He was a quiet man who loved Nature and carving
and his wish was for a memorial that could be won
by anyone, and not by the best carver or carving as
that would make the field too restricted. Also it is a
clever way to keep everyone involved competing to
further the clubs existence.
In June, The Eddie Morgan Award For Valued
Contribution was awarded at Conniscliffe Carving
Club. The award was given to Keith Hardisty and
handed to him by BWA regional leader David Shires.
The bird in the centre of the shield was carved by
Eddie as a fun entry in the competition we had when
we hosted the BWA AGM in 2006. The theme for
the carvings was “fridge magnets and light-pulls” and
Eddie was the clear winner, and the judge was Stan
Kimm.
Keith Hardisty was the person chosen by secret
ballot, for his contribution to the club as treasurer
since the club was formed in 2000.
The club remains vibrant, meeting each Tuesday
7p.m. until 9p.m.in High Coniscliffe Primary School
and demonstrates and displays at fairs and shows all
over the North East.
By Clin Laycock
Carving, Craft, Pyrography and Toy Making all in one place
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Comes complete with either a 3/32" or 1/8" collet
fitted as standard. (Spare collets available separately)
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(Which includes VAT and Delivery)
Also available the NP5, with 2 Handpieces and 40,000 rpm
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Order online at
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or phone on
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Woodworks Craft Supplies, P.O.Box 102, Caldicot NP26 9AG
19
2
1
0
2
High Jump by Ted Jeffrey
Lime
Cute little cat by John Thompson
Lime on Oak base
Pair of Owls by Dave Lodge
Lime
Flying Barn Owl by Dave Lodge
Lime
Cheers by Brian Jackson
Lime
20
With this year’s European Woodworking Show approaching,
here’s a reveiew of last year’s carving competition. The
competition is organised by the Essex region and sponsored
by Classic Handtools. First Place went to Micheele Toon and
her Green Turtle Diving winning £750. Second Place went to
Anthony Smith and his Smith Coat-of-arms, winning him £250.
Voting in the carving competition is done by the public based
on the carving that they’d most like to take home.
Viking by Brian Jackson
Lime
Sun worshipper by Mick Ives
Lime on Mahogany base
Aphrodite by Len Mapp
Jelutong
Lovers by Gerry Guiver
Lime
based on a carving by Fred Zaveril
The Cardinal by Ken Veal
Boxwood
The Tackle by Ted Green
Jelutong
Winston Churchill by Anthony Smith
Brazilian Cedar on Mahogany
Lady Gaga bt Gordon Pringle
Mahogany
from an article in Woodcarving
Meerkat by Jan Wensley
Lime
The veiled lady is at Chatsworth House by Gerry Guiver
Lime
Guinea pig by Mick Martin
Lime on Mahogany
Polar bear on ice by Lynne Kyle
Lime
Arctic tern by David Higgs
Lime (painted)
Bear fights Butterfly by Martin Howells
Lime and Laburnum
Turtle exiting egg by Maureen Roberts
Lime
Spitfire by Ted Jeffrey
Lime (painted)
Green Sea Turtle Diving by Michelle Toon
Spalted beech and sycamore on a marine ply base
Monkey by Stan Kimm
Sycamore with ebony eyes
21
The Bridesmaid
by Maureen Hockley
Lime
Stallion
by Pat Brooks
Walnut
The Lookout
by Steven Smart
Plum
Harmony
by Steven Smart
Walnut
Orphan Owls
by Maureen Hockley
Lime
Contemplation
by Hugh Ingram
Black Walnut
Be careful when you go out in the
light of the morning by Bill Cross
Walnut with ebony
based on a design by Tom Harvey
Dove of peace
by Mary Ives
Lime
Otter Diving
by Gill Deacon
Redwood
22
On the beach
by Dave Hollingworth
Lime and Mahogany
Prey or Pray?
by Barbara Beard
Mahogany and Lime
A Knot of Frogs
by Sheila Humphrey
Lime
Campanology
by Barbara Beard
Lime on Mahogany
Sea Horses
by Janette Stewart
Lime
Welsh Dragon
by John Thompson
Lime on Black walnut
Smith coat-of-arms
by Anthony Smith
Lime
The Voice factor
Jigsaw
by Gordon Pringle by Gordon Pringle
Chestnut
Lime on Mahogany
Spinners stool
by John Wilkins
Elm and Oak
Isabel
by Maureen Hockley
Lime
Mickey Mouse
by Peter Roberts
Lime (painted)
5t
h
EUROPEAN
YE
AR
WOODWORKING
SHOW
Gold by John Urbanowski
Lime in Oak frame
Woodworking in Action
Cressing Temple Barns,
Near Braintree, Essex
Jazz by Roger Edwards
Sycamore on walnut
Well done to all of the entrants in last year’s
competition!
Why not have a go at entering this year’s
competition!
By Maureen Hockley
Saturday and Sunday
21st and 22nd September 2013
TICKET OFFICE NOW OPEN
Call 01473 785 946
or visit
www.europeanwoodworkingshow.eu
23
THE STRUCTURE OF TREES
Understanding their nature and form
Trees are incredible organisms. The longest living
organisms on the planet, the most massive organisms
that ever lived. I find trees fascinating and feel a sense of
awe every time I stand beneath a mature tree and look to
the canopy. We all use wood in our everyday lives and in
our carving; the product of these incredible organisms.
The Angiosperms include all Hardwood trees and
the Gymnosperms include all Softwood trees. The
European Yew seems to bear fruit though doesn’t
it? Not so; the fleshy and poisonous ‘berry’ around
a Yew seed is actually a modified seed cone scale.
Angiosperms also include plants that are often
considered trees like the Bamboos and Grasstrees,
which are not Hardwoods, the former in fact
being members of the grass family. Although
these plants can be carved and are used for
many items including walking sticks, I shall not
cover these plants in any more detail than this.
We all know that there are hardwood and softwood
trees. What does that mean though? In order to
explain fully, it is important to step back and look at
the classification of trees. Trees are woody plants in There are several terms that could be used to
the Spermatophyte group (seed-bearing plants), that describe softwood and hardwood trees to try and
have an elongated stem supporting leaves or branches. distinguish them but many are incorrect. Evergreen
cannot be used solely to describe softwood trees.
Firstly, it is important to say that not all wood comes In the tropics, most hardwood trees will be in leaf
from trees. Wood is produced by many woody all year round and there are several evergreen
plants that are not trees. Some plants use wood Oaks that bear leaves all year round. Likewise we
to reinforce their stems and roots. These plants cannot use the term deciduous solely to describe
include some Herbs like Rosemary, Shrubs like hardwood trees because some softwood trees like
the Rose and Lianas like the Monkey Ladder vine. the European Larch will drop their leaves in winter.
Before I go on, another important concept is that
there is not really a formal definition of a Tree. A
tree is often defined as being over a certain height at
maturity and a shrub as being below a certain height
at maturity. A shrub also tends to have more than one
main stem and a tree tends to have a single main stem.
The Spermatophyte classification is divided into
two groups called Angiosperms and Gymnosperms.
Angiosperms are trees that produce covered seeds,
i.e. are fruit bearing. Gymnosperm literally means
‘naked seeds’ and these are therefore trees that
produce their seeds in cones and other structures.
The wood from hardwood trees is not necessarily
harder than that from a softwood tree. Balsa wood
is very soft although it comes from very large, longliving hardwood trees. During the drying process,
it loses two-thirds of its weight. European Yew is a
softwood and its wood is indeed much harder than
the wood from many hardwood trees like Balsa.
Softwood Tree showing
Excurrent habit
Hardwood Tree showing Dendritic habit
Crown
Bole
(Trunk)
24
We can generally say then that most hardwood
trees are broad-leaved, fruit-bearing trees with a
dendritic habit. Softwood trees are Coniferous trees
bearing naked seeds with an excurrent habit. A
dendritic habit is where the tree has a sub-dividing
form where the stem branches and each subsequent
branch may branch again, creating a familiar
forking structure. An excurrent habit is where the
tree has a dominant main stem and subordinate
lateral branches growing outwardly from it.
Trees comprise several structural elements. The
have a root system, usually below ground although
that is not always the case. They have a trunk (or
Bole), which supports the Crown which is made up
of limbs, branches, twigs and leaves. Timber from
a hardwood tree is usually harvested from the trunk
and the larger limbs whereas timber from a softwood
tree is usually only harvested from the trunk.
By The Editor
Free eBooks
eBooks are fast becoming ubiquitous and are an easy
way for people to self-publish.
Below is a link to a first-class free eBook about
Netsuke carving:
http://www.sterlingsculptures.com/
Resources_folder/Netsuke_Book_folder/
Carving_Netsuke.htm
Below is a link to a great free eBook giving tutorials
on making your own small tools, ideal for anyone
doing Netsuke or small work:
http://sculptingtools.blogspot.co.uk/
By Roland Laylock
Beverley Minster
Beverley Minster in Yorkshire is well worth a visit. cover which took six years to carve and some great
Due to it being a minister it did not suffer during the carved signs of the four apostles on the main door.
reformation, only the cathedrals had carvings smashed, It costs £3 to have a look around and take photos.
like hands and faces destroyed, which is a crime.
By Ken Willoughby
Outside stone carvings are in abundance, the
Percival stone carving is the best in Europe, so
they claim. There are Medieval misicords, a font
Panoramic photo © Panoramics 2012
25
BWA Gloucester
Summer Semminar 2013
I was immensely lucky to
attend the very friendly
Gloucester BWA Seminar
on the 22nd & 23 June
2013. There was a choice
of six workshops with:
This seminar had taken a year to plan and we were
fortunate that our normal meeting venue was not
only large enough to cope but could also provide us
with lunches at a very reasonable price. The quality
of catering turned out to be very good and really
contributed to the atmosphere. Many thanks to the
Gala Club.
Our tutor group was recruited largely from our
personal networks and all of them provided a
first class input again, without overstretching our
budgetary limitations. All of thanks to them. These
limitations were our biggest worry in the early
stages of planning because we were unsure that we
would be able to recover the outlay. In the event
we need not have been concerned because we very
quickly filled the majority of places and, to cope with
demand, had to increase delegate numbers from
6 – 8 per session to cope with demand. This gave
us the confidence to include lunch and timber within
the workshop price, which at £30 for members and
£35 for non members has got to be one of this years
bargains.
We are hugely fortunate in the Gloucestershire
Region that we have the dynamic duo of Lyn
McCracken and Janette Stewart whose combined
skills and energy dealt with the vast majority of
admin, marketing and finance problems. It is their
efforts which were responsible for bringing this event
from idea to fruition. Thanks also go to our Regional
Leaders Jean & Maurice Harper who undertook
host/hostess duties during the weekend and to the
various members who lent us equipment for some of
the workshops.
It is my experience that, regardless of the planning
and resource allocation, the key element to any good
party lies in the party goers themselves. On this basis
my final thanks go to all the delegates who attended
and really entered into the “party spirit”. Though the
local members represented the majority of delegates
I was particularly pleased to see so many nonmembers and “guest members”.
Maureen Hockley Carving the Human Head
Terry Moss - Lettering
Terry Moss, Kay Lane
and Wenda Stewart
Dave Johnson - Chip
Carving and Carving a
Greenman
Bob Jubb - Netsuke /
Small carvings
Maureen Hockley, Sara Irvin
and Steve Mechin
26
A wide range of tastes
were catered for and we
were able to peek in at
other courses during the
excellent buffet lunch.
On Day1 I took Bob Jubb’s Netsuke Course. Bob
started by providing us with folders packed with
instructions on what we would be tackling, finishing
techniques, multi views of carving projects and tool
information. We then had a slide show on the history
& types of Netsuke. Best of all was the chance to
pass around Bob’s own carvings which we all found
very hard to give back. We started work on double
ended pre-cut frogs, inlaying eyes and texturing its
body. Bob provided us with mini kits and we were
able to try some of his tools. More information &
demonstrations followed, for carving feathers, fish
scales and finishing techniques. I would have loved to
have had a second day trying more techniques.
It is already too late to start planning to do it again
next year but I think that this years success will lead
to another attempt sometime in the future.
By Dave Johnson
Peter Walwin - Furniture
Decoration
Bob Jubb’s Toad
Day 2, I was with Maureen Hockley carving the
Human Head. Once again we had thoughtfully been
provided with pre-cut heads, tools & equipment were
available to loan. Maureen quickly got us drawing
out the proportions on our heads with instruction
sheets and a carved piece to guide us. We then set to
removing the bulk of wood to start to rough shape
the 90 degree angle from the nose to the sides of
the face. Maureen guided us all individually talking us
through each feature and how to achieve its shape.
Some of us were over cautious while others knew
no fear. Indeed members from other groups were
sent to pay homage to Roger’s Contemporary twist
on the human head. The afternoon passed with the
appearance of eyes & lips, each individually tutored
as we progressed. We also came away with notes
to enable us to finish our heads. Maureen’s husband
made film stars of us all by videoing the day.
It was very obvious
from the laughter &
discussions from the
other courses that
everyone was having a
great time. A number
of us had travelled
from other parts, I
found myself sitting
next to a fellow North
Bob Jubb, Richard Pepperd,
Westerner. Thank
Diane Barrett and Martin
you so much to the
Howells
organisers at Gloucester
for all the obvious hard work & thought that went
into a brilliant seminar.
By Dianne Barratt
I am just coming back down to earth following a
magnificent weekend at Gloucester region’s Summer
Seminar! I would like to pass on my thanks and
congratulations to Gloucester (in particular Jean,
Maurice, Anne, Chalkie and Richard) for arranging
such a wonderfully inspiring day. All the people were
so friendly and welcoming and there was a lovely mix
of both their region and others who had travelled in
such as Dianne from Chester and Martin, Regional
leader from Essex, there were plenty of refreshments
to hand, an amazing buffet lunch, and a great venue.
Lunch on Day 1
I drove down for the day (and yes it is a very long
way from Preston in Lancashire) and I was so
delighted that I did! I chose to do the day with Bob
Jubb, Netsuke carver. It was a delight to see all his
carvings and he allowed us to hold and examine them
all, and even use all his tools. I was only expecting to
practice techniques on a scrap bit of wood but Bob
had roughed out a natterjack toad for each of us to
do, and provided the materials to inlay not just the
eyes on this one but more too! Obviously he realised
we would be hooked after seeing all his finished
pieces - he even signed his book that I had already
bought - a true gentlemen, that I very much hope
I have the pleasure of meeting again. Seeing Bob’s
toad, I can only hope I get somewhere near in the
future! Well done Gloucester, and I hope to be back
next time!
By Sarah Lawrenson
Peter Walwin, Janette Stewart and Duncan McConnachie
Dave Johnson, Karen Chater, Gavin McDonald, Barbara
Jordan, Jean Harper and Jayne Burrows
27
Carving Found Wood
I define Found Wood as not machined, natural shaped
wood, because bought is the opposite of found and
bought wood is almost always machined. The title Found
Wood Carving does seem a bit inaccurate. There really is
no difference between found wood carving and any other
carving; the tools, the skill and techniques are the same.
The difference is in the design and expectation. Design
you might expect but expectation is perhaps a surprise?
Any sane woodcarver, after a quick look at my Splits
carving, would not want to carve it out of a block of
straight grained wood. The waste would be horrendous
and there would be fears of weakness due to short grain
on the legs and arms. Yet, in the 15 years since it has
been carved, I have regularly picked it up by an arm or leg
and banged it on a table to demonstrate to carvers groups
the strength that has been built into the piece because it
grew that way. It was carved from a whole beech tree the legs from roots, the trunk from the trunk and the arms
and head from branches. The benefits of Found Wood
are that you have some inspiration and strengths supplied
by the wood, and an opportunity to explore shapes that
you would or could not make out of straight timber.
Expectation
About 40 years ago, I took over as Membership Sec
of the British Woodcarvers Association and went to
Cheltenham to pick up the files from Betty Norbury. We
had a cup of tea round a blazing log fire and I noticed that
the logs they were burning looked rather superior. I
asked Ian Norbury what wood it was and he said walnut.
I wanted to grab them off the fire and take them home
with me. I asked Ian why was he burning it? He said that
when people are paying his prices for a carving, £2000 a
piece (and that was 40 years ago), they expected perfect
carvings out of perfect wood.
With Found Wood you have the opposite. You have Rejected wood - Wood with no self respect - Wood that
may be rotten in places - Wood that has splits - Wood
that has perhaps been broken off rather than cut off the
tree, Wood that may be green and subject to cracking.
You cannot hope to achieve the results you normally
aspire to. The wood is of variable quality, so getting a
high gloss finish with glass paper is often impossible. An
off the tool finish lends a harmony to the work.
When you start a normal carving you can go and buy
a piece of wood big enough for it. With found wood
you are restricted to the piece of wood Mother Nature
left about for you. Most of you doing a normal carving
aspire to achieve some form of perfection, realism, or
realism with some slight simplification, a C19 view of
art when a perfect copy of a natural form was the ideal.
With Found wood you are moving on to the C20 when
artist movements like Cubism and Impressionism were in
28
vogue. Think of Rodin
and Henry Moore and
their partial figures. It is
the Art of the Possible not
Art of Perfection
Design
‘Splits’
When I was putting
these thoughts together,
everything up to this point
flowed easily. Then I
typed Design and it all
stopped dead. It is
difficult to say how you
should design a normal
carving and describing how
to design for found wood
carving is much more difficult.
I have the disadvantage / advantage of never really being
taught woodwork or carving, of not starting with proper
tools or proper wood. I started with what I could get
hold of, a knife and Found Wood and worked it out from
there by trial and error.
I was never taught a theory of design. I learnt to do it
by doing it. I have never worked out any theory. I have
never tried to explain it before. It is like trying to tell
someone how to do a three point turn or sharpen a
gouge. It is impossible and you just have to show them,
but that is impossible in an article. There are some
pointers that hopefully will be useful
Some Pointers
Greek Ideal. The ancient Greeks had the idea that every
stone has a sculpture inside it and all the sculptor has to
do is release it. By release they mean by taking off the
least amount of stone. If you take this theory to its nth
extent then it should be possible to find a stone or piece
of wood that is already a perfect sculpture. In 60 years I
have only done this twice.
Texture. Found wood may come with a texture that no
carver could reproduce. If possible incorporate it into
your design. Bark can also be attractive. Don’t be too
quick to scrape back to the wood.
Knots make eyes. Quite often it has been a knot that
first attracted me to a piece of wood. They are harder
and darker than the surrounding wood which has been
worn away
Branches and roots. These make arms and legs that do
not suffer from short grain problems because you are
going along with the strength of the wood.
Burr. Celebrate burr (or Burl in the US). I have used it as
frilly underskirt on a ballroom dancer and as foliage.
Where to start
BWA Rockingham Forest
visit Art in Action
You may just know what you want to do. In that case
just do it. Think about the suggestions above. Is there
some texture that is attractive? Are there any knots or
branches that may be a starting point? Does the overall
shape or part of the shape look interesting?
For the less inspired, I would suggest drawing the piece
of wood. I can almost hear some of you saying “It’s
ok for him, he can draw and I cannot”. Well, what I am
suggesting is more like tracing than drawing. Put your
wood on a piece of paper and draw round it. Take the
wood away and just look at the image on the paper. See
if it says anything to you. Squint at it. Turn it round.
Sleep on the problem. In desperation start again with
another piece of wood as not every piece of wood has a
sculpture inside it, what ever the ancient Greeks said. I
often leave uninspiring bits of wood on the floor of my
workshop. As I trip over them, I move them to a new
position and see them in a new light. I repeat this until
inspiration dawns or the wood finds an out of the way
corner.
You may find it helpful to make a Plasticine model of the
wood, actual size for small pieces or scaled down for the
bigger bits. I find measuring the wood in inches and the
model in cms is useful, so a 36” piece of wood make a
36cm model, i.e. a third size. You can carve your model
to see if your ideas are possible. The model should only
be as detailed as necessary to solve the current problem;
it can be updated if you meet further problems during the
carving process.
With found wood you have lost some of the usual design
aids that you get with ‘normal’ square timber carving, a
front and side view and the clear picture in your mind of
where you are going from the start of the carving. The
model will help.
Having decided on your design, you will have to sort out
where the base will be. On a normal carving project, you
will probably have bought an extra bit of wood so that
you have somewhere to hold it. On Found wood, you
might have to screw or glue some wood to your base so
it can be held. If, as with the Splits, there is no actual base
and nowhere to hold it, I carve it carefully holding the
wood between my knees.
From here on it is just like a normal carving project. You
have your idea and/or a Plasticine model to refer to, and
all your woodcarving skills and tools.
By John Adamson
A Coach load of members, wives and friends enjoyed this
day visit on Saturday 20th July to the event at Waterperry
House, Oxfordshire.
Our Chairman Glyn Mould had a stand in the
Woodcarving Marquee with one of his exhibits: a six foot
high Seat entitled “Freedom of Information Act” displayed
in the “Best of the Best” Exhibition Marquee. Given
Pride of Place at the front of the Marquee, the seat drew
crowds of appreciation, both for the skilled and detailed
craftsmanship and also the subject matter, which depicted
our current and former Political Leaders in compromising
circumstances – they all had their trousers down!
For readers who have not been to the show, held in the
grounds of Waterperry House near Oxford, it covers
the entire Arts spectrum and is the largest of this kind of
event in the Country. Many Artists are present with their
stands, and as visitors, and there are various Teaching
exhibits throughout the four days of the show. We were
fortunately spared the intense heat of the previous days,
and with the many places to sit and eat or drink, everyone
thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Without hesitation, I
would recommend this gathering of artistic work as a very
interesting and informative day out.
Chairman - Glyn Mould, Secretary - Tony
Smith and Treasurer - Eddie Talbot
By Tony Smith & John Wright
29
MEMBERS GALLERY
Owl Babies
By Brian Rogers
Wedding Favour
By Kate Press
Kate hasn’t been carving that
long and decided to do a carving from a scrap of wood for
the Gazette competition which
ended in February. Obviously it
wasn’t finished in time but she
decided to finish the piece, and
was able to give it to the bride
and groom at a wedding she
went to - which will be a lovely
individual momento of their day.
Pennington Coat-of-arms
By Rosemary Pennington
Wistmans Wood
By Jerry Hughes
Rosemary carved the
Pennington Coat-of-arms
from Lime
A relief carving in lime inspired
by a visit to mysterious
Wistmans Wood on Dartmoor.
The stunted fern bedecked oak
trees appear to be advancing
on the moss covered rocks that
resemble fallen warriors.
Brian Rogers carving in lime is
based on Martin Waddells book
‘Owl Babies’ illustrated by Patrick
Benson. A popular member of the
Shropshire group, Brian sadly died
earlier this year.
Musical Family
By Liz Spiers
The Wolf
By Gerry Guiver
The Indian
By Gerry Guiver
Liz Spiers carved this fine study of
her musical family from a single
peice of lime
If you would like to submit one of your recently
completed carvings to the gallery for the next issue,
email me or use the form on the website.
[email protected]
www.thewoodcarversgazette.co.uk
30
The Wolf was carved from a magazine and The Indian is
an adaption of one of Ian Norbury’s figures
BWA Shropshire
Celebrates 20 Years
To mark the 20th Anniversary of the Shropshire
Branch of the BWA, members celebrated with a
Garden Party at which a birthday cake decorated
with the club logo was cut by founder members
Heather and Chris. As part of the celebration
members were given the competitive challenge of
creating carvings based on the theme of 20 with a
Dremel 4000 kindly donated by Dremel as the prize.
This stimulated a fascinating and ingenious range of
carvings.
Heather and Chris prepare to cut the cake
Towards the end of July the Shropshire group
organised a seven day carving exhibition in the
Goods Shed located at the Victorian Town, Blists Hill
Museum. The exhibition coincided with the first week
of the school summer holidays which combined with
the good weather resulted in hundreds of visitors
from across the country and around the world
descending upon us. Five or six members were on
duty each day to demonstrate their skills and answer
our visitors many questions. The venue provided
an excellent showcase for our carvings and an
opportunity to promote woodcarving – it certainly
stimulated much interest and we endeavoured to
provide contact details of BWA groups around the
country.
The Victorian town was a fabulous place to wander
about in our downtime when we were also able
to visit the onsite woodcarvers led by the ever
enthusiastic Malcolm Gibbon. Malcolm, claiming
antecedents to Grinling Gibbons, is renowned for his
carved rocking horses, including full scale versions.
The Shropshire Carvers currently have a membership
of forty with thirty signed up for our weekly carving
sessions in the workshops of a local secondary
school. We are very much looking forward to hosting
next year’s BWA AGM on the weekend 17 – 18 May
when we plan to lay on a range of workshops, talks
and social activities for those of you venturing into
the beautiful county of Shropshire.
Carvings on display
A crowded Goods Shed
A range of entries for our 20th anniversary competition
Shropshire Woodcarvers gathered for their garden party
By Jerry Hughes
31
Region
Leader
Phone Number
Email Address
Mid-Thames
Roger Edwards
01628 672 223
[email protected]
Devon and Cornwall
Les Wilkins
01548 810 442
[email protected]
Durham & North Yorkshire
David Shires
01325 374 686
[email protected]
Essex
Ken Veal
01277 899 684
[email protected]
Gloucestershire
Jean and Maurice Harper
01666 502 010
[email protected]
Hamlet Wood, Maidstone
Mick Mills
01622 759 313
[email protected]
Hampshire
John Tybjerg
01425 470 906
[email protected]
Hertfordshire
Stan Kimm
02089 070 378
[email protected]
Jersey
Eric Payn
07797 729 483
[email protected]
Kent, Wormshill
David Howard
01227 265 085
[email protected]
Lancashire
Sarah Lawrenson
01772 715 503
[email protected]
Leicestershire
Martyn Neal
01162 716 635
[email protected]
N. Lincs & E. Yorkshire
0 H Boyd
01652 618 071
[email protected]
N.E. London & W. Essex
Martin Howells
02085 901 824
[email protected]
S.E. London & W Kent
Thomas Young
01689 851 500
[email protected]
Norfolk & Suffolk
Belinda Newstead
01508 488 342
[email protected]
Notts & Derby
Roland Laycock
01623 636 343
[email protected]
North Staffordshire
Tom Buttress
01782 533 061
[email protected]
North Wales Borders
Eileen Walker
01352 770 706
[email protected]
Oxfordshire & Bucks
Brian Eastoe
01235 203 626
[email protected]
Rockingham Forest (East Mid-lands)
John Wright
01733 810 312
[email protected]
Ryedale, North Yorkshire
Andrew Clark
01751 473 206
[email protected]
Shropshire
Meriel Brown
01743 861 159
[email protected]
Solway Woodcarvers (Cumbria)
Clive Firth
01697 331 995
[email protected]
South Wales
Derek Edwards
01639 883 137
[email protected]
Warwickshire
Mick Kitchen
01926 843 159
[email protected]
West Midlands
Tony Newton
01214 411 534
[email protected]
Yorkshire
Paul Schofield
01274 687 492
[email protected]
National Council Office
Officer
Phone Number
Email Address
Chairman
Mark Davis
01525 862 489
[email protected]
National Secretary
Lynn Kimm
02089 070 378
[email protected]
Treasurer
Bryan Corbin
01452 698 991
[email protected]
Membership Secretary
Roger Timms
02084 621 371
[email protected]
Editor
Jason Townsend
07970 535 189
[email protected]
Regional Liason
Eileen Walker
01352 770 706
[email protected]
Website Manager
Graeme Murray
07748 350 252
[email protected]
Publicity
Paula Noble
01908 216 925
[email protected]
32
www.britishwoodcarversassocation.co.uk