---- Chris Pye: WOODCARVING - NEWSLETTER ---- March 2006 http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com "Dedicated to the teaching, learning and love of woodcarving" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is an opt-in newsletter and you should only be receiving it because you requested it from the website, or were sent it by a friend. Subscribe or Unsubscribe easily on the home page here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/ or using the link at the end of the newsletter. ****Back issues here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/intro/pastnews.html including zipfiles for 2001, 2002 & 2003, 2004 & 2005 newsletters ========================================================== Hello Everyone! Thanks to all who have forwarded this email to interested friends and family. Please keep passing it on and getting them to add themselves to the distribution list - over 4900 of you now! CONTENTS: 1. Correction: Teaching Dates USA 2006 2. New Green Man 3. Woodcarving Illustrated - what to write? 4. The State of Woodcarving in America... 5. Woodcarving Poetry Competition... 6. Follow Ups 1. Frosters 2. Forearm Protection 3. Brass Name Plates (UK) Website Bookmarks at the end. Woodcarving Tuition Slipstones Woodcarving Manuals ________________________________________________ 1. Correction: Teaching Dates USA 2006 ________________________________________________ Apparently, and with ignorance which is bliss until pointed out, I've had earlier, provisional and incorrect dates for my teaching programme at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship at the bottom of this newsletter for a few months. Correct dates are: June 12 - 16 Wood Sculpture June 19 - June 30 Relief Carving (2 weeks) July 3 - 7 Intermediate/Advanced Carving Details on the website: http://www.woodschool.org/ My apologies if this has affected anyone. Do think about these courses as a way of moving on your carving. The school and facilities are excellent and the learning intense and great fun - and you are automatically eligible for membership of the WLD, the 'Woodcarvers Lunchtime Dippers', who dunk in the local pond whenever possible. Have a look, there are still a few places left. ________________________________________________ 2. NEW GREEN MAN ________________________________________________ John M Casteline has carved a classic Green Man for the galley. A very good use of the wood: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/greenman/gm_gallery21.html And, while you are in the area, the full list of our green friends might temp you to SUBMIT YOUR OWN CARVING: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/greenman/gm_galleryindex.html Go on - we're all waiting to see it! ________________________________________________ 3. WOODCARVING ILLUSTRATED - WHAT TO WRITE? ________________________________________________ Many of you will know of, or subscribe to, the American magazine 'Woodcarving Illustrated'. Last issue they included a lovely page of photographs of the Wedding Rosebowl that I carved for TRH The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. (http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/gallery/gallery16.html) I'm pleased to say I have agreed to write a series of woodcarving articles for Woodcarving Illustrated. And I need your input! I am thinking of a basic course in the 'traditional' woodcarving, building up over the months. In which case, here's your chance... **** WHAT ASPECT OF CARVING WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SHOW YOU, OR WRITE ABOUT, OR HELP YOU WITH? I can't guarantee to include it, or say when it would appear if I did, but if you have something to suggest please drop me a line by replying to this newsletter, changing the subject line to 'Woodcarving Illustrated Article Suggestion' or similar. Thanks very much. ________________________________________________ 4. THE STATE OF CARVING IN AMERICA ________________________________________________ Maura Macaluso, New York City, writes thus: "I have spent the last year of my life talking and meeting with woodcarvers from all over the planet, and the insight that I have gained has been staggering. "As I began carving, a few years ago, alone, down in my basement, I thought that me and my little piece of wood was what it was all about. As a solitary carver, that was all there was to woodcarving, it was me, the wood and the knife. I didn't care about much else in the woodcarving world. I didn't know much else. "But as the hip bone is connected to the leg bone and the leg bone connected to the foot bone, everything in carving is related to everything else and one day I met another woodcarver in person and woodcarving began changing for me. "Then I met some more woodcarvers, some in person, some on the web, some on the phone and I learned of others through my many woodcarving books and hours of private research. "With each new person I spoke to, I found myself caring more and more about the state of woodcarving in America today and started writing about it. "Here are my findings: 91,000 words, hundreds of pictures and 286 pages long. It took 10 months of my spare time and has been a journey and adventure writing it. "Go to my website: http://www.carvinginNYC.com and click on the State of woodcarving link at midpage. Or, more directly: http://www.carvinginnyc.com/state%20of%20woodcarving.htm "It is absolutely free to read and everyone will find something of interest in it. "And now, I am happy say, I can get back to some serious carving." ------ CHRIS PYE: I did find this personal, enthusiastic and informal document visually not easy to read on the screen but well worth the trouble. I found much that I didn't know and lot's of interesting pictures. Do have a look! ________________________________________________ 5. WOODCARVERS' POETRY COMPETITION! ________________________________________________ Calling all bards, wandering minstrels and those whose minds turn to marvlin' while acarvin' at the bench! Haroun, Finland, wrote to me: "HELLO WOODCARVERS OF THE WORLD! "For all of us carving and working with wood has always been a passion, a hobby, a profession and even a part of our lives that we have loved sharing with each other. "The art of carving comes in many forms and has been around for as long as man can possibly remember and will be around to inspire many more people for ages yet to come. "It certainly has inspired me and still inspires me, it makes me feel like I belong to this big circle of friends, creating, molding, learning, sharing, teaching, even writing poetry about carving... "For a while now I have wondered why there are so few of those inspiring poems around about carving wood. "I have only found 2 and that was it, but there must be more carving poets out there somewhere. "So, I decided to organize the first ever: *** "WOODCARVERSPOETRY" COMPETITION" *** for all woodcarvers and woodworkers worldwide. As I said, let "WOOD" be your inspiration and let us enjoy whatever creations come from it and learn. There are no entry fees and anybody that wants to participate is more than welcome. To give some greater incentive to the "WOODCARVERSPOETRY" COMPETITION, there will be great prizes you will be able to win. There will be 4 categories, and 4 different prizes. *** CATAGORIES: Category 1: "BEST CARVERS POEM OVERALL" Category 2: "BEST CARVERS RHYME" Category 3: "FUNNIEST CARVERS POEM" Category 4: "BEST "TRY AT CARVERSPOETRY" POEM" *** PRIZES: * Category 1: "BEST CARVERS POEM OVERALL" The prizes for category 1 will be " A $150 GIFT CERTIFICATE", donated by "HAROUN FROM FINLAND" to "THE WOODCRAFT SHOP", Bettendorf, Iowa USA (wdcrft@revealed.net), a "WOODSPIRIT" carved and donated by "JAN OEGEMA", http://www.janscarvingstudio.com/and a "ONE YEAR "CARVING MAGAZINE" SUBSCRIPTION", donated by "CARVING MAGAZINE". http://www.carvingmagazine.com/ * Category 2: "BEST CARVERS RHYME" The prizes for category two will be " A $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE ", donated by "JOE DILLETT", from the " ASK JOE" column in "Carving Magazine", http://www.thecarvingshop.com/a "HANDMADE FINNISH CARVING PUUKKO KNIFE" donated by "HAROUN FROM FINLAND", made by the "TRIBAL "SAAMI PEOPLE" OF FINNISH LAPLAND", http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=26473 and a "ONE YEAR "CARVING MAGAZINE" SUBSCRIPTION" , donated by "CARVING MAGAZINE". http://www.carvingmagazine.com/ * Category 3: "FUNNIEST CARVERS POEM" The prize for category three will be "A $75 GIFT CERTIFICATE" donated by "LARRY (BIG DOG) YUDIS", from " THE WOODCRAFT SHOP", Bettendorf, Iowa USA (wdcrft@revealed.net), "CARVED FLOWERS" carved and donated by "CATHY KRUMREI", http://www.thecarverscorner.com/ , and a "ONE YEAR "CARVING MAGAZINE" SUBSCRIPTION", donated by "CARVING MAGAZINE". http://www.carvingmagazine.com/ * Category 4: "BEST "TRY AT CARVERSPOETRY" POEM" The prizes for category four will be " A $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE" donated by "LARRY (BIG DOG) YUDIS", from "THE WOODCRAFT SHOP", Bettendorf, Iowa USA (wdcrft@revealed.net), a "FANCARVED BIRD" carved and donated by "SALLY NYE", http://www.fancarversworld.com/and a "ONE YEAR "CARVING MAGAZINE" SUBSCRIPTION", donated by "CARVING MAGAZINE". http://www.carvingmagazine.com/ . *** HOW TO PARTICIPATE: Send one poem at a time to woodcarverspoetrycompetition@yahoo.com or to: "WOODCARVERSPOETRY" COMPETITION RUORITIE 2 A 2, 80160 JOENSUU, FINLAND. *** YOUR POETRY CONTRIBUTIONS: Poems must be carving "wood" related, you can write about caricature, sculpture, relief, chip carving, lovespoon, stick or walking stick carving, woodburning, pencil carving, Santa carving, woodspirits, dryads, ornament carving, fancarving, stylized carving, friendship carving, scroll sawing, sharpening, learning to carve, basically anything that talks about how you feel about carving and a wide variety of things more, etc. * Each poem must have at least 15 lines. * Each poem must be given a title. * Entries must be in English. * Your name , address and or email must appear on each entry submitted. (Addresses and emails will never be used for any advertising and will never be given to 3rd parties ever. They are only going to be used for shipping when you win one of the prizes. After the competition addresses will be deleted.) * There is no restriction on the number of poems submitted by each participant. * Each poem must be emailed separately EXCEPT for snail mail to cut the cost on postage. *** RULES: * Poems must not have been previously published, self-published, published on a website or broadcast and must be the original work of the author. * This competition is open to anyone aged 7 and over. * Last entries must be submitted before JULY 1st. 2006. * The winners will be announced on INDEPENDENCE DAY, JULY 4th. 2006. * On this website; http://woodcarverspoetry.tripod.com/ * All poems are judged anonymously and the poems will be numbered and nameless when judged to keep the judging fair, all decisions will be final. * All 4 winning poems will be published in "Carving Magazine" issue # 16 and "Chip Chats", permission to print the winning poems is automatically granted by each participant, to "Carving Magazine" and "Chip Chats". For all other use read the next rule following this one. * The copyright of each poem remains with the author. All authors automatically grant permission to "Haroun from Finland" to publish all submitted poems chosen in a NON-PROFIT booklet called "woodcarverspoetry". All other use of the poems must be granted by the authors first. * Copies of the booklet called "woodcarverspoetry" can be obtained at cost of copying and shipping after the announcements of the winners. * This competition is entirely and utterly organized out of love for the art of carving. * No money will be made under any circumstances. "Have fun, carve on. HAROUN FROM FINLAND PS. Feel free to copy this post, hang it in your local carving or woodworking club, pass it on to like-minded friends and/or send it to whom you think might like the idea. -------------- CHRIS PYE: Well, here's a bit of fun for those of us with time on our hands. I'll start you off: A carver of the miniscule Was cutting off a molecule When an atom misjudged Refused to be budged And bluntened the point of his carving tule. Alright, I'll stick to carving - but can YOU do better? Go on, have a go! __________________________________________ 6. FOLLOW UPS __________________________________________ 1. FROSTERS (i) Thanks to Ken (Nashville, TN): Leatherworking used to be one of my hobbies, and there are several sizes of what they call "matting or background" tools that meet that description. Stamping them into the softer woodcarving woods should not be a problem and there are a lot of shapes available. My wife uses then in working with polymer clay. In the US, I've usually bought from Tandy, but a web search will turn up other suppliers. (ii) From Chris Pye: You probably need to look under the generic 'punches'. In which case you would find for example Lee-Valley and Woodcarvers Supply Inc. carry them. A 'froster' or 'matting tool' is a traditional carving term - it's not a 'punch' like a nail-set, for example - but many supply firms carry these things as part of a wide woodworking range and neither know the correct term nor, I suspect, really care. Anyway, a rose by any other name... 2. FOREARM PROTECTION Thanks to Tim Caveny: Apropos of protection of forearms (Judy Johnson, 12/05): Very sturdy, heavy cotton sleeve protectors can also be bought at any welding supply house. They come treated with a flame retardant (probably an Epson Salts solution), which is why welders never wash them, but replace them frequently, but carvers should get long and satisfactory service from them. Keep up the good work 3. BRASS NAME PLATES Thanks to Howard Roberts: In answer to you question 3 about brass nameplates, in this month's newsletter, you may care to pass on this link: http://www.makers-marks.co.uk/ They will do small runs and one-offs. (I didn't say it was cheap!) ================================================= That's it. Joy and success in your carving! Chris Pye ------------------------- PS: One for the bench: "If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then I always carry it with me." ~ I said that. ____________________________________________________________ SOME WEBSITE BOOKMARKS ____________________________________________________________ ------------ TEACHING 2006 * UK (1-TO-1 PERSONAL TUITION) The best way to learn to learn or improve your carving, and easy to arrange. Full details here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/tuition/t_custom.html * USA (CENTER FOR FURNITURE CRAFTSMANSHIP, MAINE) 2006 June 12 - 16 Wood Sculpture June 19 - June 30 Relief Carving (2 weeks) July 3 - 7 Intermediate/Advanced Carving Details on the website: http://www.woodschool.org/ --------- SLIPSTONES WOODCARVING MANUALS Help yourself! You are free to copy any or all of these ebooks, send them to your carving friends, or have them available on your own website but you must not charge money for them. Full list and details: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/index.html * Quick Carving Questions - 1 http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/qcq1.html (Sponsored by Tools for Working Wood: http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/) * Quick Carving Questions - 2 http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/qcq2.html (Sponsored by Classic Hand Tools: http://www.classichandtools.com/) * Quick Carving Questions - 3 http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/qcq3.html (Sponsored by Preferred Edge Carving Knives & Supplies: http://www.preferrededge.ca/) * Quick Carving Questions - 4 http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/qcq4.html * Selecting & Sharpening Your Vtool http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/v1.html * Learning to Carve http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/learncarving.html * Learning to Carve 2 http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/learncarving2.html * A Guide to Safe Woodcarving http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/safecarving.html * Mistakes and Woodcarving http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/mistakes.html * Fundamentals of Woodcarving http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/fundamentals.html *Slicing, And The Value Of The Inside Bevel With The Chris Pye #2 1/2 Finishing Gouges From Ashley Iles - pdf http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/slicing.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright (c) Chris Pye 2006 Chris@chrispye-woodcarving.com ----------------------- -----------------------