I’ve got birds on my brain. They’ve been fluttering about in the cold bare branches just outside my shop window while I carve bowls inspired by them, inside. I’ve carved a lot of bird bowls over the years. Rather than go for photo-realism, I try to represent the bird through the flow of the lines and have some fun, whether it’s a hen, a wren, a goose, or whatever. There are some examples on my bowl gallery page, and I have a “bird bowl” category in the drop-down menu on the right side of the blog page.
I’ve been sketching and working on some new bird bowl designs, like this painted goose-inspired bowl, because I’m going to offer a new class at Pete Galbert’s School this year: Bird Bowls. Twice, once in June and again in October (those were links to the respective class sessions). Registration for both classes opens on Monday, February 17 at 8:00 am EST.
This goose-inspired bowl will be flying to Pete’s. I carved it from a 3″ x 6″ x 18″ chunk of dry basswood (a.k.a. lime or linden). Basswood is commonly available is sizes like this, and even thicker, at hardwood lumber dealers and many feature online delivery. The same designs can be carved starting from a green log as well. Before June, I’m going to continue to experiment with other bird-inspired designs that will make their way to Pete’s new barn, and we may even work in a little bird time in my Bowl Exploration class next month.
The general procedure and approach we’ll use to carve our bowls in class is the same as that I use to carve all of my bird bowls, so it will be adaptable to whatever forms students want to explore back at home with whatever wood they wish to use. Students will make their own decisions along the way, so each bowl will be as unique as they wish. While they’ll be going home with a couple bowls, it’s the knowledge and skills they’ll be taking with them that will mean the most: interpreting, visualizing, layout, understanding grain direction, decorative carving, creating texture, sharpening, painting and color possibilities…. lot’s of good stuff!
Now, back to the real birds outside my shop window; a most pleasant distraction. This week, I set up the camera in the window and snapped a few photos. I’ll share this series of four photos featuring a pair of cardinals. Of course, the bright red males are well known for their striking color, but I especially appreciate the females with their subtle touches of red among the buff, yellows, and muted grays.
That’s a female in the upper left of the photo below, minding her own business and enjoying her spot on a quaking aspen branch. The male is in the background with that bright red crest ready to impress. I’ll let the photos tell the story, a straightforward age-old tale.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
David Fisher, Carving Explorations 
