[Kenny_S]

In '87 we Visited Brason's Silver Dollar City and was fasinated in their wood carving shop. Stayed several hours watching a carver and asking questions Thinking I could do that. Self taught and after butchering several Thousand foot of wood, I am still thinking I can do that.

Been carving since '87 off and on and that was more off than on, till 2003 when I retired early, Carved more since 2003 than from 1987 to 2003.

[Lynn O. Doughty]

As a Boy Scout, my two older brothers and myself would fight over the new Boys Life issue when it showed up to see who could get the Slide of the Month carved first. Thats where I first picked up a knife and started whittling. Years later, while living in Santiago, Chile, I came across a local caricature carver who did the most fantastic, imaginative work I have yet seen. Us caricature carvers should hit our knees each night and pray that he stays down there south of the equator cause if he ever shows up in this hemisphere we'll all be out of business. Believe it or not he even carved cowboys. He was and continues to be my inspiration. Maybe someday I'll get close to his genius but not yet!

[Kenny_S]

Ok Jill, What is your story???

[jillsy]

Alrighty Kenny, here goes. I've always loved working with my hands and as many of you know, there's nothing like creating!

Coming from very humble beginnings (1 of 7 children), my parents couldn't afford any art classes so I learned pretty much everything on my own or from watching and listening to others. I finally tried carving a couple years ago with a dull pocket knife!

After a few bloodied Santas I visited a woodcarving store in Lancaster, PA. I asked the owner lots of questions and demonstrated how I carved. First thing he said to me, "Well to begin with, you're holding the wood wrong. Get your hand out of the way!" and he showed me the right way to carve! I got a couple books and some sharp knives...tried again. Then, contacted "Women With Knives" and a member there told me to contact the "Delaware Woodcarvers Assoc". I'm one of the only women there, but the guys are all just great. They showed me the 3 basic cuts and how to sharpen a blade. It's been love ever since!

[Thomp]

Whittlers are in my mothers family appear as often as blonde haired kids with blue eyes...
every sunday we all met after church at grand parents for sunday lunch or lupper as we all called it. a meal between 12 noon and 4oo
Grandpaw was an WW1 & WWII vet, an old turck patch farmer, sawmill worker from alabama, A coal minner and later he ran a big bandsaw for cutting big steel bridge beams..
he made all the utility furnature in the grandparents house and made several modifications to the house he knew his carpentry, i had mom & 6 aunts, & 2 uncles all his children and both of uncles had sawdust flowing through their veins as well.
on sunday after the meal the wemon folk would go about cleaning up and start quilting and grandpaw, the 2 uncles, & other men folk would go out on the porch and spit and whiddle as they called it. usually by 3:00 grandmaw would announce the desert and coffee was to be served and fuss about the large pile of shavings, i would sweep off the chips and join..

one year my 8th i guess grandpaw had saved his prince albert smoking tobacco liners long enough and got several barlow pocket knives free, all the older grandsons got one for christmas. i remember it was a big deal, the old style 2 blade barlow, with a bone handle looked big and shiney, mom didnt want me to have one but grandpaw insisted. he gave me a stick or chunk of pine and told me to start carving. thats all i remember except the bandage and all the hollering, of course the emortal words "i told you he would cut himself and so on..."


years later rummaging through the utility drawer i came apon that knife and with lessons learned i started carving.. and have been doing it every since from time to time when the mood hit me.

[whitecree]

Originally Posted by Plain_Ol_Ed

I grew up in an era, and part of the country, where everybody (well only most girls), carried a pocket knife. Yup, we even carried them to school ... GASP!

Jeez, the "good ole days" when a kid carrying a pocket knife meant they were responsible and trustworthy, not a thug.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Originally Posted by whitecree

Jeez, the "good ole days" when a kid carrying a pocket knife meant they were responsible and trustworthy, not a thug.

That was before lawyers screwed up this country, convincing people nothing was their fault or responsibility and they should sue..so then they could sit back and stick it to the "suckers" for fees and laugh their heads off!!

[jillsy]

I cant even begin to imagine being able to bring a pocket knife to school!

When I was graduating HS in 1987, I remember our class getting in trouble for having WATER guns! (The kids were all gonna have a huge water gun fight after school.) Now the kids are bringing in REAL guns!

'Course, I went to Catholic School, where if your socks weren't at the knees it meant detention!

[oldbearx2]

The first thing I carved was the head and foot board of a big four post bed I made for my wife and I. It had a low relief carving of a heart with a bouquet of flowers inside. I got the idea from Wood Magazine back in the early 80's. That started it all. They used to have a monthly carving project back then. My next project was a Harold Enlow hillbilly from the magazine. Been hooked and learnin' ever since. Harold

[rick-in-seattle]

This was from an old post that explains how I got started.

I seem to be the exception here; when I was very young, we lived out just the other side of the sticks. Reckon I was about five that summer the county doctor came by with his buggy. He examined all of us kids and told my parents that I might be autistic, and should be sent away to a special school.

Now my parents, an orchard worker and housewife with sixth-grade educations didn't quite understand what he was saying; so they sent me away to art school.

Like they say, the rest is history.