Where do you find your inspiration?

[Keoma]

I thought this an interesting thing to know. I love the diverse group of people on this forum, all with a common interest-Carving. No matter how we do it, power carving, relief carving, chainsaw carving...whatever...we all have the same interest. We want to take a nothing and make it something. With a piece of warm, and willing to please wood as our medium. Our inner thoughts and moods in our hands and worked for all to see.
I thought this spot would be a good place to post it, since it is not off topic, it is about carving, and many new carvers ask this very question. I know I did. Not only did I want to know your answers and here your thoughts, I wanted to know if anyone else felt like I did.
CArving is not only a beautiful hobby for me, it seems to be my spiritual outlet If I go to many days without picking up a hunk of wood and turning it into something besides kindling, I start to get severely agitated, so much so that my husband takes note and suggests I go out to my shop for awhile
I have always adored Celtic Myths and Lore, I try to add that into what I do. I adore Druid and Pagan symbols and markings, like cave wall drawings or ancient stone carvings. They dug up that Greek crown a week or so back...anyone seen it? I am so inspired by that! What a story! No one knows anything about it, so that means my imagination can run rant with it! I live in an Oak grove (Poison Oak included) and that is not only my source of wood, it is also one of my many inspirations. Each season brings new discoveries. "oh! Look at that leaf! Wow what a cool clump of moss!!!" A kid at Christmas I tell ya! I am also a people watcher...lol...I love people. All people. I watch peoples noses when they talk...it's true...and I love shoes...omg did I say i love shoes? So, without trying, my love of both seems to show up in my carvings. Of course, the thought that I am making something that mighht be handed down for generations is a fantastic bit of inspiration!
So, come on carvers, share some of your inspirations with us! The who and the what of it! Go grab you a cup of coffee and tell us a tale...spin us a yarn... I can't wait!

[Just Carving]

I usually get my inspirations from everyday occurrences or maybe something I see. But I always put my spin on it--I don't like to just copy somebody else's stuff.

But a recent change in my life as given me new inspiration. I have a lady in my life now. And as cliche-ish as it might sound, to me, she's an angel sent from heaven. The other night I was carving one of my teddy bear pins and thinking about her and having just that thought. Then it occurred to me to carve an angel bear. So, that's how I get inspired to carve things.

I have carved the angel bear--at least one just to rough out how I want it to look--and I gessoed it last night. This one is an ornament. I'll post a WIP photo later. Now, I'm doing one that will probably be a pin.

Link to WIP thread: Angel Bear

BTW--she knows I came up with a sketch, and I finished carving the first angel bear--but she hasn't seen it and she doesn't know how I came up with the idea--at least not yet.

Bob

[Keoma]

Bless your heart! That's wonderful!

[Colin-Partridge]

Really interesting question I am sure you will get some interesting answers. My inspiration comes to me in different ways at different times. I do get a lot of inspiration from this message board. People here are usually so supportive and willing to share that inspires me. Sometimes it is from seeing a picture or watching a movie when I see something that catches my interest. Talking about movies one of my first inspirations was "Lord of the Rings" just love all that medievil stuff. As I never use a pattern all of my characters are out of my head (Thats why there isnt much left inside)LOL. I never draw the character first I use my chainsaw like a pencil. Some times I get inspired listening to my ipod as I carve, music stimulates the sole. Most of all though it is the quiet times in the woods by myself just sitting under an old maple tree alone with my own thoughts. I also get inspired when I am carving on site and people tell me how much they like my work that is very inspiring. Most of all though it is when I am finished and the customer is so thrilled with what i have created that ispires me the most. Having said that probably more than that is when the children come up an watch and see my work and tell me "Mr that is really good". Usually out of the mouths of babes comes the truth.
Just my two cents worth
Colin

[Ed Redwine]

Hello Your Highness: Interesting question and no doubt will give birth to many hints of inspiration.
As for me, life itself serves my palette. Ideas come from stories, from experiences and the suggestions of those who like to see something done in wood.
Often I will sit with clipboard in hand and just doodle, letting ideas take form on paper and then finally in wood.
Theme stuff is fun too. For example, an upcoming trip to my class reunion in Texas resulted in two new Santas, both with cotton farming themes. One Santa sits on a bale of cotton. He is wearing denim overalls. The others is standing, holding a hoe and also wearing denims and he also sports a Co-op ball cap. This one is titled "Cotton Choppin' Santa - Ho! Ho! Ho!..
The five minute wizards in issue 43 of WCI inspired me to use a similar idea and carve chili peppers. I have 32 in a pepper themed bag, one for each lady that will attend our banquet.
There are enough ideas in my noggin that I will always have something to carve.
It's still fun though to just take a small piece of wood, start whittling and see what emerges.
This forum is also an inspiration.

Have a super-dooper day!
ED

[dnstehly]

This question is asked of me quite often and I'm never sure I'm giving a satisfactory answer. The non-carver wants to know "did you see it in the wood and bring it out?" Answer...sometimes. As I walk through the woods hunting stock I will occaisionally see a piece that jumps out and says "dragon!" or "leaping dolphin!". More often I have something in mind to carve and am looking for the stock that will support it. Sometimes inspiration will come from an out of the blue visual experience. I will see a picture of a lizard in a magazine or perhaps a live squirrel posing near my bird feeder and say "That must be carved on a stick!" Mostly my inspiration comes from nature and from people. I like to carve animals and I like to carve faces. I like to start carving a face with no more definition in mind than the question, will the character be hooded or not. There is a certain amount of adventure and anticipation there as you carve into the piece and see how the facial features develop. As for animals, there are very few common animals that I have not been inspired to carve. Thanks for a good question and an interesting thread to follow.

[Bartster]

keoma,


i get mine from things that i think of i will pick up the wood and try to visualize what type of caricature could be living in it so i just start cutting till i get what i want but sometimes i dont so i just go with it and try again on the next one,i will also have brain storms sometimes they work out sometimes they dont but i will keep at it till i get something close, i also get inspiration from the board and especially my carving buddies mitchell cartledge for one his little folk inspire me alot, they are also a challenge to me and they are fun to carve, i also get inspiration from other freinds also tony, blake and gene,


bart

[Totem]

I've always liked wood and enjoyed working with it and I've always been interested in history. When my family and I visited Alaska, I made a piont of going to a totem pole museum and decided that I'd like to give wood carving a try. The art of the Northwest Coast Indians is amazing and someday I hope to represent their art respectfully.

[Lonewolfcarver]

I find my inspiration everywhere, be it in a book, magazine, something I see in nature, etc. Many years ago I was visiting my sister and it was her daughters bath time, well she wouldn't go because she couldn't find her yellow rubber ducky. Voila!- Inspiration hit, a week later I delivered this, a carved "Rubber Ducky" Just goes to show, inspiration is everywhere, you just have to find itSmile

[Keoma]

(((Applause!))) Amen Amen! My sentiments exactly! Inspiration is everywhere! You made my day!