Category Archives: carving

Love and Coffee

Posted on August 11, 2020 by

I’ve missed out on a love affair with coffee.  Seems like just about everyone else has had one and most of them last a lifetime.  Long before iced-coffees became chic, my grandfather loved cold black coffee.  He kept it in … Continue reading →

Posted in carving, finding wood, layout, Lettering, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 21 Comments

Catching up with the Bowl Horse

Posted on July 30, 2020 by

There are many ways to get to a bowl horse.  If you’re still thinking about adding one to your shop, I’ll recap some of the options, including some new possibilities. My first bowl horse concept, seen in the photo above, … Continue reading →

Posted in carving, holding, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Making the Best of It

Posted on March 29, 2020 by

Limits encourage creativity.  This is evident in many aspects of life, such as when a resourceful home cook manages to create a splendid meal from the few things left in the cupboard.  Or when an aging athlete expertly adapts his … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, carving, finding wood, layout, Lettering, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged | 26 Comments

Wishes for a Peaceful New Year

Posted on December 31, 2019 by

When it is peaceful and quiet, using the knife will not break the tranquility.  Sometimes there will be other things to listen to, such as conversation, music, the singing of the birds or wind rushing through the leaves.  Indeed, sometimes … Continue reading →

Posted in carving, green woodworking, quotes and excerpts, spoons, Uncategorized, writing | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Short Lettercarving Video

Posted on September 6, 2019 by

At Spoonfest, Tom Hepworth filmed Barn and I talking briefly about carving letters with a knife.  I also demonstrated how I go about cutting a letter.  Tom posted the video to Youtube not long ago, and here it is.  Just … Continue reading →

Posted in carving, Lettering, tools, Uncategorized, video | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Dragon Orthodontics

Posted on April 18, 2019 by

I roughed out this cherry ale bowl during the green stage months ago, and now I’ve gotten around to refining it in the dry stage, including carving a set of choppers, a point of pride for any dragon. After sketching … Continue reading →

Posted in ale bowls, carving, cherry, patterns, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Re-Carving

Posted on March 31, 2019 by

I’m more adept with light and shadow than with color.  I wonder, in fact, if I haven’t carved away more paint than I’ve put on.  But I can be stubborn perseverant. The top photo shows a bowl shortly after I … Continue reading →

Posted in carving, paint, patterns, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Let Follansbee be Your Guide

Posted on March 20, 2019 by

About a decade ago, my mind was blown by the boxes and furniture that Peter Follansbee was talking about on his blog.  There he was splitting up oak logs into boards and joining them together.  Well, how do you not … Continue reading →

Posted in books, carving, green woodworking, historical reference, publications, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Feline Inspiration

Posted on December 28, 2018 by

You can learn a lot by watching cats.  They are studies in elegant movement and sinuous lines. Our cat, Mavis (named after a Thomas-the-Train engine), is sixteen years old.  Quick sketches of him appear here and there through my sketchbooks.  … Continue reading →

Posted in carving, figure, patterns, proportions, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Roughing Spoons from Straight Blanks

Posted on August 10, 2018 by

Spoons are cranky.  Take a close look at just about any spoon, whatever the material, and you’ll find that the rim of the bowl of the spoon is not in the same plane as the handle.  The angle between them … Continue reading →

Posted in carving, layout, sketch, spoons, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 13 Comments