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Showing posts from August, 2018

Rose Box Decoration

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A rose decoration carved from basswood adorning a tea box.

Mother with Child

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Basswood carving of a young woman and child based on the Madonnina painting created by Roberto Ferruzzi (1854–1934). This piece is approximately 6 inches tall.

Madonna

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Small madonna statue carved from basswood. Approx. 4 inches tall.

Pomeranians

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Portrait carving of a pair of Pomeranian dogs.  The piece is approximately 10 inches tall, carved from basswood, finished with acrylic paints and stain, and mounted on a mahogany base.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

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This carving of Our Lady of Guadalupe is carved in relief from basswood, painted, and mounted on a back board with gilt trim. It is approximately 20 inches tall. It is based on the original image from the tilma of Juan Diego that is displayed in the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Image from the tilma of Juan Diego.

Holy Spirit

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Small relief carving of the Holy Spirit represented as a dove carve in basswood. The piece is approximately 3 inches in diameter.

Holy Family

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Infant Jesus with Mary and Joseph carved from cherry. The carving is approximately 14 inches tall.

Crucifix

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Crucifix carved from basswood with stains for color. Approx. 14 inches tall.

Girl with Cat

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A girl offering her cat a sniff of the flower she picked. Carved from basswood and approximately 10 inches tall.

Corporal Works Of Mercy

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Corporal Works of Mercy relief carved from basswood. The carving is 42 inches tall. This piece was made for a school to act as both a work of art and as a teaching aid. For more details regarding the design and what the images represent, please see this guide . Here is a photo of the carving in its original hanging place over a bench that helps to show the scale of the piece.

Christus Rex

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Christus Rex (Christ the King) carved from basswood with a mahogany cross. The cross is about 7 feet tall. This is carving was made for a church that commissioned a large scale carving similar to a Christ the King crucifix I made many years earlier. Following is a photo of that older carving along with a series of pictures documenting the making of this carving. This version is approximately 19 inches tall. It was carved in basswood and mounted on a mahogany cross. In the new design sketch, you can see that the hands have been raised along with some other minor changes. Full size cutout. A lot of basswood. Some of the layers (that will be glued together) have to be glued up for width first. The layers of wood are glued together one joint at a time with lots of clamps for even pressure. Lots of clamps! Special thanks to Roger Fischer of Fischer Woodworking. His expert assistance was invaluable. Don't forget some wood for the arms! Read

Christmas Angel

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Christmas Angel carved in basswood holding a banner exclaiming "Gloria in excelsis deo." Finished with Danish oil and wax.

Blackfoot Relief

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Carved from basswood. Finished with oak colored stain and wax. Approximately 4 inches tall.

Birds on Driftwood

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Birds carved from cherry mounted on a driftwood base. Approximately 10 inches tall.

Big Cat

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Basswood carving of a big cat imagined as an ancestor of modern jaguars. Approximately 8" tall finished with a water based stain and wax.

Annunciation

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Approximately 34" wide. Basswood. Water based stains and wax. This carving depicts events and themes surrounding the annunciation narrative from the gospel of Luke. The center panel depicts the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary. On either side of this are John the Baptist proclaiming the coming of the Messiah and St. Joseph in his carpenter's shop. The far left and far right panels depict the messianic prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah. In designing this piece, I incorporated a number of references to historical christian iconography. In the central panel, Mary is found kneeling on a prayer kneeler indicating her prayerful refection on the word. The kneeler is decorated with a lily which is a symbol of purity. Behind Mary are a pitcher and basin of water that also are used to signify purity. The angel Gabriel appears with one hand gesturing towards Mary and with his other hand he holds up two fingers indicating the human and divine nature of the child to be born. The walls

Psychology Today: Creativity, Happiness and Your Own Two Hands

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" Creativity, Happiness and Your Own Two Hands " is an article on the Psychology Today site that discusses how purposeful hand use enhances well-being in a technologically saturated culture. It reminded me of this carving by Travis Bryant. Hopefully you are experiencing the benefits of making things with your hands. If you would like to learn about wood carving, please let me know.