Growing and learning as a Carver!

Hello Gang, I have been carving a lot in this new year so far, below is a picture of what I have been up too. None of them is completly finished yet. I am experimenting with using Tinted Danish oil on these carvings and also going to try some Brywax of different colors.

We all need to try out different things as we grow in our woodcarving.

If you take a close look at these carvings you will notice that I am trying out some new things in regard  to how I carve the hair, new tecniques to get more life and flow into the hair.

As we grow as carvers to improve we need to always seek to learn new things, new tecniques and methods of how we carve things. No matter which style of carving we so it is the same, To grow you need to try new things.

Do not be afraid to fail, I have found that even when you mess up, it is possible most times to correct any mistakes. You will learn alot while fixing them. When I am teaching people carving, I have learned a great deal while fixing mistakes for my students. Go carve boldly, and if it can not be ficed, it's just a piece of wood. Recarve it into something else or burn it. Never let the fear of messing up, stiffel your creativity.

We all pretty much learn by example, when I started out carving faces, I looked that thousands of pictures on the web of face carving. I viewd and examined carving by such Masters as Jeff Phares, Vic Hood, John Burke and many others. They all have their own styles and I can reconize them on sight. 

I also can usually tell when a carver has studies with them by looking at their carvings. The first time I went to a carving show ( North Alabama Woodcarvers), I was set up next to a lady who did some great carvings of Native Americans and some really good woodburning also. I took a good look at all her carvings and walked up to her and said to her,"You have studied under Vic Hood haven't you?". She told me that she had! I determined right then and there that I never wanted to have someone come up to me and tell me that!

I realize that most folks just want to carve a face and do not care about that, but I encourage each od you to take what you learn from me or any Instructor and add to it, change it, modify it an make it your own style.

I have attended to seminars in my carving career, one with Jeff Phares and one with Jim Wright, and I learned some things from each of them. I hope you can't look at my carvings and say I am copying the style of ether of them. There are elements in my carvings of both of them and that is mostly how we all learn! But, I the way I do hair is my own style and I am always looking for ways to improve it. The same is true for other things I do and how I do them.

So fellow carvers, this year let each of us strive to learn more, carve more and show others who may be less skilled, what we have learned!

GaryMc

First carvings of 2012

Hello Gang! Here is a couple of woodspirits that I have done in the new year. I hope you like them! Also I have some news.

Friday the 13th, I am going to be interviewed by a local TV station about my carving and carving in general. We can always use publicity! I hope you all are carving and having a great time! One more thing for the rest of the month, any one who has purchased one of my video and would like to purchase a different one , I will give you $5.00 off ( except the eye video, I will give $2.00 off that one). If you are interested email me or use the contact page here and I will send you a paypal invoice.

I Hope to shoot a Video podcast later this week.

GaryMc

Hello Gang, Merry Christmas! hehe

Well, I know it has been a long time since I have posted here. I thank you for all the comments and emails asking about me. I am alive and well (still tired!), but I am going to crank this site back up starting today. I hope to have the time soon to start another Video Tutorial and get back to doing Video blog posts also.

I want to tell ya'll how proud I am of Matt My partner and friend! He entered his first Carving compitition the first of November at our Carving show (North Alabama Wood Carver show). As you may remember Matt has been carving a short period of time. He entered a spoon that he carved and won a 2nd place ribbon! Way to go Matt! I only had one entry my self, a small greenman. I got a third place ribbon with him. We had a Great show and had a great time also. I got to meet Steve Brown and talk to him some and talked to a great many Carvers at the show. I didn't take any pictures, except tow of Matt and his soon (see them below). 

I know everyone is busy carving Christmas ornaments this time of year, and I have a few of my own to finish for friends and Kin. I hope this season finds each and all of you healthy and hale and your families also. More to come......

 

Sorry it has been so long!

Hello Gang, sorry it has been so long since I last posted! Life happens you know. I recieved an email from a reader of this site and he was angry at me about not posting. I have to admitt that he and all of you have the right to be angry. But in my defence I will tell you that I am not retired and have a day job. I work as the superentendent of a Cemetery and work outside all day. It has been extremely hot here this summer and the heat has been getting to me this year. I am 60 years old and Diabetic and I don't handle the heat as well as I used to. I come home burned out and burned up every day, and just crash. On top of that, I have been without one of my men for the last couple of week and that dumps more workload on all of us. We really don't have enough men when all are there, so with less, it really messes things up. 

Anyway, I hope to be more active here, but I ask your patience and understanding, it will cool off soon I hope!

Here are some pictures of some carvings that are almost finished, just need to paint them or whatever, I haven't even had the energy to do that.

Well, I hope you have a great week and I will try to post a Video Blog today or tomorrow!

GaryMc