2011 Best Carving Design Contest: Best of Contest Winners

Announcing the People's Choice and Editor's Choice Best In Contest Winners

People's Choice Best In Contest

Jerry Mifflin of Springdale, Ark., earned the People's Choice Best In Contest with his Lake Norman Survival Mantel.

Jerry Mifflin took home two well-deserved awards for his Lake Norman Survival Mantel: People’s Choice Best of Contest and People’s Choice in the relief carving category.
    “The concept for my mantel was an underwater scene depicting the natural food chain in a bass fishing lake,” Jerry explained. “My inspiration for the design and its elements came from my childhood, growing up swimming and fishing in the rivers and lakes of north-central Arkansas.”
    The mantel is essentially a box with an open reinforced back that mounts on a 2 x 4 anchored to the fireplace. It is 12" wide, 12" deep, and 96" long. Jerry made the top shelf, bottom, and molding from white oak. The carved face and returns are basswood. The piece took about 150 hours to carve.

Editor's Choice Best In Contest

Rusty Johnson of Tulsa, Okla., won the Editor's Choice Best In Contest with his Mama's Gone Fishin

Rusty Johnson’s piece, Mama’s Gone Fishin, really spoke to the editors. Not only was the piece well carved and well finished, but the contrasting textures and implied movement worked well together. The stylized piece tells an unmistakable story despite its lack of detail—a difficult task, but Rusty succeeded beautifully.
          Rusty carved the piece, which measures 7" wide, 10" tall, and 12" long, from walnut. He carved the basswood fish separately and glued it in place, and he finished the piece with satin polyurethane.
    The finish was another factor in the editors’ decision. The smooth finish of a stylized piece means a carver must pay careful attention to the surface of the wood and the final finish. Any rough areas or poorly planned cuts are immediately visible. A poorly applied finish, even a clear finish, will show up against the smooth wood.
        Rusty’s attention to detail, carefully planned scene, and wood selection made this carving stand out.

To see the winners and all of the other entries in the other categories, please click on the links below.

Caricature

Chip Carving

Junior Category

Realistic

Relief

Santa

Stylized

Walking Sticks and Canes