[Callynne]

Advanced age....little grey stuff....shaky fingers....makes me worried...I knew I should have started this carving stuff lots sooner!
As for taking classes, I'd love to but like Jamesfa mentioned sometimes it isn't possible and for people like us this board is invaluable! Don't know what I would have done, nothing near what I am, that's for sure, without all the help and advice I've recieved here! Callynne

[Donna_T]

Like others, I didn't have any outside carving instruction for several years--just kinda 'mudded' along, but had the benefit of a few really good carvers who were willing to answer questions at the local carving club. My second year of carving, Harold Enlow started coming here for a one-day workshop and he was the first instructor I had. They don't come any better....so patient...such a great teacher. Is there anything, carvingwise, that he hasn't tried and mastered? After a couple of years of that, and increasing the number of items I carved a year from 4 to 20, I ventured out and went to the annual Woodcarving Rendezvous in Branson. One week long--with short mini carving class projects at night. I took caricatures the first year--so had 4 different instructors--and went to each night session so had 4 more. WOW! Each one made eyes differently. Each one had so much to share.

If it's at all possible, I'd encourage carvers to get out and take workshop instruction. You learn from the instructor and you learn from your fellow carvers. While I don't like to copy each instructor's style --I do learn from each and pick up things I incorporate into my own developing style. I am a bit touchy about my carvings--Unless I'm totally stumped, I don't want them to carve on my carving....just show me on another piece of wood...otherwise, it's not my carving any longer...

There's noone close by for workshops--I've traveled anywhere from 2 hours to 10 hours to do them (there were a couple of Texas Roundups that we traveled two days to get to, but we had a daughter in that area in grad school and it killed two birds.) They are my mini-vacations or 'rewards' to myself for whatever I've just survived!!! Now that I'm out of school again...I try to do 3-5 seminars a year.

Donna T

Wouldn't it be nice if we could all spend a week together watching each other carve! Just a thought. Big Al