Judging for Carving Shows

[bigmama717]

Our carving club holds an annual show and would like to find out how others go about recruiting judges for their shows. One of the questions that always comes up is how to choose a judge - how do you know that the judge knows what he or she is judging?

I read an article in a Chip Chats magazine from last year that talked about a judges' seminar that was held in the pacific northwest. Does anyone know if there is a seminar of this kind held in the south? If so, how do we contact these judges?

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

If it were me, I would contact some people in some of the larger shows, have no doubt they have the information you are after!

[Goody]

I judged a local show in the baltimore area last year. Its not an easy task!!!
A lot depends on the structure of your show. Are you going to pick a judge for each catagory to be judged and if so is that judge versed in the style of carving for that catagory or will the same judge handle all catagories. I was in a show where we had to judge all catagories. The best of show went to a decorative decoy that was technically perfect. The paint and texturing was some of the best I have seen in years. This decoy went on to place in the world compitition. I even carried it outside to see it in natural light, the irridesence just turned colors in the sunlight like a real bird. In another catagory there was a relief carving of a carvers grandaughter that would warm your heart. It was a great carving. A lot of people thought that it should have taken best of show but it just wasn't the carving and painting that was in the decoy.
Carvers will put carvings in the advanced (in thier eyes they think they are) that sould have gone in the beginners. If the carver puts a piece in the advanced catagory he should be willing to accept a jugdes decision and learn from the experience. The judge has to be able look at all aspects of a carving from the asthetic value from a distance to the same value up close. How was the work executed. Are there fibers left down in the crevices. There were a lot of carvings that looked good until you really looked at it.
On the other hand there were carvings in the beginners class that were great you have to keep in mind what class your in I can forgive some mistakes in a beginners class and look more of what the carver was trying to accomplish.
You may want to think about having a judge come in that is not local. I seen a carving club disban because the judges were the most respected carvers of that club, not necessarily the best, but respected. There was so much bickering going on after the show that no one wanted to come to the meetings anymore.
To judge is one of the hardest things there is to do in the carving arena. It will surley humble you and make you look at the next piece you enter into compititon in a different light.
Hope this helps a little,
Goody

[R-OLDS]

I was told by a carving instructor I know that they would never do judging at a carving show again to much bickering and anger. I think this was a case where the judge may have known some of the people who entered at the show.