Catching Up With the Woodcarving Community

Members of the Woodcarving Illustrated Message Board created this elaborate carved scene.

One of the reasons I look forward to attending woodcarving shows is the opportunity to find new contributors. I usually come back to the office with a camera full of photos, and the 2011 Artistry in Wood show, held in Dayton, Ohio, was no exception. I’ve already commissioned some fantastic articles for future issues.

Other than finding new contributors, one of the nicest parts of attending shows is keeping in touch with the woodcarving community. It’s nice to get e-mails and letters, but nothing compares to talking with folks face to face.

Having previously attended only local events, this was associate editor Mindy Kinsey’s first visit to a major woodcarving show. Experiencing the show with a first-timer let me see things in new ways, and I was able to really enjoy aspects I had come to take for granted.

A special treat at this year’s show was the Hillbilly Reunion scene. Members of the Woodcarving Illustrated Message Board joined forces to create this fantastic group project. Tom Hindes undertook the massive task of creating a shipping crate to protect the carvings and backdrop, and then drove the scene to the show. Mindy and I proudly displayed the scene in the Woodcarving Illustrated booth and enjoyed discovering new elements of the project throughout the weekend. Artistry in Wood show chairman Don Worley enlisted the help of local businessman and club member Ron Farley to ensure the crate made its way safely back to our home office. It really was a group effort from beginning to end.

It’s a great feeling to be a part of such a wonderful community. I’m already looking forward to meeting new friends and catching up with old ones at the 2012 show. And I know that after getting her first taste of the Artistry in Wood show, Mindy is just as eager to return next year as I am.