Making Your Own Pattern And Sharing It

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Shimmy just nailed this one as far as I'm concerned. We've reached a point in this craft that there is nothing left new to carve. No matter how you may pose a figure someone has already done it! A human or animal can only bend in so many ways. As I walk around woodcarving shows no matter where they are I can see numerous carvers sometimes even on the same table who aren't even attending the show. However, they influence is clearly visable throughout the show. Everybody learns from everybody else. That's how man got up on his hind feet! All this intelligence didn't just happen. The only time I would really get concerned would be if I happened to see one of my designs on someones table that had my name on it when I knew that I didn't do it.

Just recently someone on this forum won a first place ribbon with the Chuckwagon Cook design on my blog. Was I upset? Are you kidding?.....I was proud a hell!!

[susieq]

Lynn,
A few years back a nice carver who I was slightly friendly with, bought a couple of my pieces at the show we were both doing. I really like this woman, still do though I don't see her much anymore. I don't hold her responsible for what I am about to share with you.

Her boyfriend at the time was a nasty, egotistical jerk who was also a carver....had a real high opinion of himself and was very competitive. There had long been rumors about this man entering work in shows that was not his. It got back to me through a mutual friend that this man had taken my carving and entered it in a show up in Canada where he is from and they lived part of the year...far away from anyone who might recognize it. He won! (or I won) The woman was mortified and this may have been one of the last straws for her. She broke up with the guy and moved out and on with her life. We haven't run into each other and if we did, I would never mention it as my friend swore me to secrecy before he told me what happened. Now that is pathetic..... I am not angry with her though. It would have been nice to get the credit for the win but that's life.
susieq

[gene-messer]

Eddy .. The patterns I work from are so boring looking that very few people could make heads or tails of them ..
And as far as drawing my own pattern's .. If I did that with my art skill's .. Everyone would be carving stickmen ..
Thank God for carvers who are artist in the drawing field also ..
Gene

[Eddy-Smiles]

I really appreciate everyone's input on this subject. I gather from various exchanges here and eslewhere on this forum that there are a group of you all who are friends, associates and peers other than here in hyperspace. Being fairly new to the forum and having never met any of you I personally was a little unsure of what work I should post and what work should best left be unposted.

Although I do belong to an established club I really have never had any interest in formally entering my work in a competition. What I carve is strickly for my pleasure and to give away to friends and family if I believe it to be worthy of a gift. In fact, anyone who has looked at my work on this forum has probably seen more of it that most of the club carvers. We have a "show and tell" at the club but there is very little critiquing. That's one of the many things that I really like about this forum.... the comments and suggestions.

And when I've posted some of my work on this forum I have always been very careful to give credit where credit is do. Also, after a learning experience with blanks and roughouts I now make it a policy to make my own no matter what the subject is. The point is that anything that I would carve might resemble something that one of the esteemed professional carvers here on this forum originated but it would in no way duplicate it.

Thanks again for your thoughts.