[Irish]

GRIN!

No, Whitecree, you ain't! You have established a very recognizable carving style. It's yours and your's alone.

I, personnally, think that is what takes us from beginners to more advanced carvers. It's not time - it's that you are convident enough that little pieces of 'you' start showing up in your work, whether it's work done in a class room, through a book or magazine or from viewing someone elses work.

Those little bits of you are what make us all into great carvers.

I do go by the simple rule that when you begin to either sell your work, take on commissions or teach you are moving into the professional class of carving. My biggest reason is that if you are doing any of these things you are no longer carving, at least on those pieces, as much for yourself as you are for someone else.

Carving for yourself is much easier as you don't have the situation that Gary recently encountered where he was carving for a specific group with specific needs and ideas for the work.

So, for me, once I can see a Whitecree carving, KennyS carving and know they aren't PaulG or Ashby carvings ... well, in my head you ain't no beginner no more.

Susan

[Kenny_S]

HEHEHEHEHE, Looks like I ain't no beginner in Susans mind cause I ain't no Whitecree, no PaulG nor Ashby, nor am I a LynnD or a ColinP nor RobD or whoever. I just be me! And I am Glad of it. .

In the beginning I was a beginner, at the end, I will be beginning!!!

Just like the other Thread, It lives!!!!

[Irish]

Yea, Kenny! You graduated a long time ago!!! And now I am going to put you on the spot. Your work is distinctive! I don't need you to sign your name to know that you were the one that did that work.

So I ask, isn't that when you can tell someone who was a beginner and copying some other carvers cuts is now branching out into the advanced carving stages by adding cuts that are all their own?

Susan

OHHH! Now here's a wicked thought. We all ought to send BobD a photo of a carving. Let Bob post them, unsigned then see if we could guess who carved what ....

[Paul_Guraedy]

Susan, I think that your final thought was a great one. Why not contact BobD and the two of you set this up as a separate thread. I would love to participate.

[BobD]

As long as you don't hold me to a strict deadline at this point, I'm all for it...

And if you can e-mail the photos to me in ready to post form, it would make my job easier...

Bob

[Graywolf71]

My wife is my guide in this field, well her and my peers, family and friends, etc.
I know i'm still and beginner and like all of you i keep pushing my self to get better but i feel that compatition is a way for people to feel better about themselves and thier work. Now i'm not knocking compatitions or thier entries but that's just how i feel.
And it's you folks that drive me to achive higher goals and feel better about myself.

again this is just my opinion
Michael Gray

[Kenny_S]

Well thank you Susan, Now,is that distinctive poor or good? about putting someone on the spot. HAHAHHAHAHA.
I really don't know what to call myself as sometimes, I think I am a beginner but know where near a professional.

branching out? I don't knbow if I am doing that either. I just try to carve better than the last carving. Try different things. No offense to anyone eho carves the same thing as I like looking at those too. But Me, I like top carve a variety of things. If I can fine the wood, I may try relief carving and maybe chip carving as that is two areas of carving I have not done. Well, I guess my bark carving is relief. Hmmmmm I have to retract my statment to chip carving.
I have done a few caricature carvings and hope to do more after the Oct Bishop class and maybe get to Jay Ok, to carve a little with Lynn, one of these days..
May find out real quick, I am still a beginner.

[Ashbys]

I agree great ! and would be a lots of fun.

I would be willing .

Garry

Oh and Susan ,

YOu knew I would do this !


lol