[K Karver]

That's a hoot, Lynn. May I quote you to the art world of my area? Will see if they try to burn wood carvers at the stake?

John K Karver

Originally Posted by Lynn O. Doughty

I think this is the Art World's official definition of Sculpture:

Any creation made from a non-flammable material.

[brian bailey]

"Carving is not an art, it is a trade, and for that reason its practitioners are properly classified as tradesmen. Even Grinling Gibbons remains a tradesman, despite the efforts of some writers and commentors to make an artist out of him."

"Quote"- The late Frederick Oughton, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, from his book "Grinling Gibbons and the English Woodcarving Tradition"

[K Karver]

Thanks for the discussion Susan, Lynn and all. Good stuff.

John K Karver

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Being as my work has been brought up let me step back in here a moment.

I've been fortunate enough to have built up a fairly favorable reputation in woodcarving circles. However, even when approaching a gallery that's devoted to western art the answer is the same....NO! Mountain Trails Gallery in Jackson Hole, WY even told me when I dropped by with several carvings a few years back that they already had "A" woodcarver, like there is some rule somewhere that only allows one woodcarver while at the same time allowing an unlimited number of painters or bronze artists. Every gallery around the square and the few on the side streets in Jackson gave the same answer.....NO! Same response in Santa Fe, Taos, or any of the other places we stopped by on that trip. They are just not interested in woodcarvings, at least mine.

Like others, I decided years ago that the only way I will ever be able to display my carvings in a gallery is to build the gallery myself. That way I only have to deal with the opinions of one person......me! And I'm very agreeable to woodcarvings.....especially my own. My wife and I did just that. You can go to my website and check our little Out West Gallery and if you're in the area you're more than welcome to stop by.

[Jim Arnold]

Thanks everyone! This has helped.

Jim

[Alice in Wonderland]

Thank you all for a very interesting and enlightening subject it is so good of you Susan to explain it so well, especially for illiterate people like me, I have never approached any Galleries ,because at this point I do not want to sell, but eventual I have to or build a bigger house :-)))) boy ,what an eye opener, what has been the experience in Canada? besides Hana,(Congratulation to your Win) does anybody else have any experience?
Thanks again
Alice

[Claude]

Hana:
After looking at the other entries in the sculpture category, it's very obvious why Fred didn't get best of show: his carving has too many clothes on!

...thanks for posting the links - some really great art there!

Claude

[Bill]

I was going to enter some of my pieces in a local Art Show, but when it can
time to enter they told me that I would be competing against, Bronze, Stone, etc. Now tell me how do you judge these mediums each in its own right is a piece of art, but I don't think that they can be judged against one another.
Bill

[Ashbys]

Well there you go ,

You pick up some mud make a few lines on it with a putty knife and it's art.

You work your tail off to get a wonderful piece and it may be considered art. One you mess up and it is finished , the other mess up get some more mud.

But the simple answer , it is easier to teach about mud , then it is to teach about wood.

But if you stop to think , you really will find the answer in history. Carvers were the craftsman to make the necessities of life. Art has never been a necessity .

Ash

[gene messer]

I usually dont get into much discussion of art galleries .. I have visited a few and can take them or leave them ...

But I know what I like and weather you call it a art gallery or craftman's gallery or plain folk art gallery or whatever ...

Pete Englers Little woodcarving shop in Branson Missouri carries some of the most beautiful pieces of art any carver can ever see .. art or not .. it's contents are the work of some of the finest I have ever seen ...
Maybe Iam somewhat prejudice because I visit it everytime I Go to Branson each year .. But to assume these men are not artist is unthinkable to me .. Their pieces are from the hands of true artist and weather the whole world believes it or not is not whats important ..

You simply see it in their work .. and watch the expression of the people who enter the shop at first glance and you will see their reaction to these wonderful pieces ..

Art ? I would say so .. but if not by art's standard .. so what .. It will probably be in the eye's of the beholder who visits ..

Gene