[squbrigg]

What is a denturist but a carver of teeth, same with a dentist. They carve a hole in your tooth, carving out the rot and filling it with .....whatever, but they have to carve out and shape the hole and fit the finished filling so the corresponding top/bottom tooth fits into it.

I suppose thats why I love using their tools on wood.

Bob

[Kenny_S]

I really started the thread for myself as I carved some items for my in-laws and haven't carve anything since/The little bride and I attended the Tusla carving show and had a great time. better than last year and talked with Danny Reb of Sherman Tx and we talked about his Line drawer and a few other things. bought some stuff from him And then started talking with Trudy Rossetter from Witchita Ka and she had some Back Cottonwood bark and came home with four pieces
Plus other stuff. A gentleman from Mountain Woodcarvers Inc out of Estes Park Co was there and had a nice conversaion with him. Tried to find Greg( on this board) from Tulsa but we did not meet up. All in all was agreat time and renewed my vigor to to start another project. Next show for me will be OK City in Oct then the Topeka one in Nov.

Thanks for the replies as I thought the question thought provoking for myself .
Now to go find what is hidden in those bark pieces.

Regards.

[BasketballJones]

Wow you are all philosophers. I encourage everyone to read Don's link about Junior Cobb posted in General Carving under . I think the pros like Terri & Colin run a greater risk of losing insight. That appears to be what happened to Colin a few weeks ago. The pros run the occupational hazard of carving to sell and compete. So I disagree with Colin.

If your good enough that people will buy and good enough to win competitions, then you have an obligation to yourself to maintain that higher standard of excellence. You're also obligated to us to keep posting those cool carvings. Junior Cobb could have made a loot with his carvings, but that wasn't his focus. If Lindy or I quit carving because we couldn't sell or win something it would be stupid because we never sold or won anything to begin with and that is a goal we would like to achieve. If Colin or Terri encounter that result they loose revenue. Everyone, regardless of skill, comes to this board for one reason, passion for carving. If we loose the passion we loose our insight.

What is sad for all of us is Junior Cobb can no longer carve. I say God gave you all the talent. Make with it what you can for as long as you can. As stated, read Don's link as it fits perfectly into this excellent topic. And God Bless Junior Cobb.

I carve for the sheer joy of walking into 'never-never land' that is made up of only three elements - me, my tools, and a piece of wood. All I have to do is somehow combine those three things for 15 minutes, an hour, or several hours to see what comes out of it. The carving itself may not be a prize winner. But, my mental health is always improved. I sure love to carve. It just seems that I have to eeek out the time to do it.

[Lightningbolt]

I began carving at age 14 because I was curious and probably because I was always looking for ways to obtain my dad's approval, but more than 30-something years later I carve because I really don't have a choice... it's like something constantly punching me from the inside of my soul always trying to get out and I've discovered that carving relieves that pressure from within with great satisfaction.

Around 1997 I really began to hone my woodspirit walking stick skill to a point where I was supplementing my full-time job as a vocational woodshop teacher by over $3,000./yr, but it didn't take long before I realized that it was becoming more of a job than just a hobby... plus I already specialize in teaching woodcarving to kids as part of my regular full-time job and who likes to take work home with them??!! :-)

I continue to sell my work and that is always a good thing, but it has once again returned to a pure hobby and why I only very rarely accept orders. I carve as the mood hits me or when I feel that prodding coming from the depths of my soul to simply create, and that is when I can reap the most benefit from carving. However, when that unexpected visitor comes in my school woodshop and likes my work and makes a deal, then I am most content.

Eventhough I normally don't accept orders I continue to make a nice additional income by producing a steady stream of woodcarvings, all at my own pace and only when the mood hits me... which is probably more than 325 days out of a year. Not too many woodcarvers ever improved their skills by picking up a piece of wood only 25 days in a year... you've got to (or in my case 'MUST') pick up a piece of wood over 300 days a year and your work will improve.

Enough rambling and thanks for letting me get that out of my system, now back to discovering how I'm going to paint that new-fangled woodspirit that I carved today.

[Callynne]

Well, none of you have probably noticed but I love carving! : I love taking a block of wood and turning it into what I want it to be, seeing the thing just come to life is an incredible high.
That others like my work, have awarded me some ribbons and that still others are willing to pay their hard earned money to purchase them is really great!! I would still carve and still love it as much even if that never happened though, because the thrill of creating is what drives me and is why I carve! Callynne

[Carvity_Carve]

Heh, well I feel weird. The reason I started carving was because I noticed a certain lack of sculptures of my favorite animal I could buy (can you guess upon seeing my icon? ), so I went 'Ahg! I'll just make my own!' That, and I write fantasy stories and I thought it'd really fun to a be able to carve my characters!

Bit different, eh?

Hi, that is great, unique . I can't imagine a better reason to carve. The inspiration from writing about them would be a help with the way you carve them. Â*I have always wanted to write animal stories. Â*When a child my dear old mother used to buy me all the Thornton Burgess Bed time stories, cut out all the stories in the local paper and paste them in a scrap book for me. Â*I think it would be great to carve them. Â*Enjoyed your posting, Thanks. Â*

[Carvity_Carve]

Heh, thanks, that's quite nice of you to say that, Hugh. That's exactly what I'm doing, writing animal stories, that is talking animal stories.

[Smokey]

Yes in deed that is an interesting concept. Carving the creatures that you know about and write about. Now that I think about it--It is kind of like which came first the chicken or the egg? Do you have a site where we can see your work?