Why do you carve?

[bbeery]

Maybe seems like a stupid question but the thought has been bugging me the past few weeks. Let me list a few thougts that came to mind: For fun and profit, profit, for relaxation, for the love of it, good time killer i.e. better then T.V., must be more but can't think of any....
Me? I carve for the love of it, creating something out of a block of wood seems a challange I can resist. I was a pen and ink artist for many years (est. 40) but my eys gave out on the fine detail drawing that I did. Carving keeps me in the creative arts and is forgiving of my failing eye sight. I don't sell any work but give a lot of gifts to folks.

[Bartster]

bbeery,


i carve for the love of it, it gives me great satisfaction, that when i finish a peice i can stand back and say i did that. now lets do another and see if i get any better. it is the creativity of it also.


bart

[jillsy]

Honestly, I was just drawn to it. I always liked working with my hands and anytime I saw a carved Santa, I wish'd I could do it. Finally, I got tired of being intimidated, picked up a book, piece of wood, and dull knife (learned alot over the years!) and went at it. Despite the rough finished piece and loss of blood, there was something about it that made me coming back for more!

Jillsy

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Because its there?

[DADDIO]

i use to spend the summers with my grandparents,and helped my grand-daddy in his leather shop,he made saddles and and harness gear from scratch
i was always amazed at how people would drive from hundreds of miles sometimes to get him to make something.as i grew up i learned to draw and paint and even go into the music scene,writing and singing.but it was only after my parents brought me a book and knife and a piece of wood back from smoky mountain woodcarvers,that i truely felt like i was creating something,much like my beloved grand-daddy did.in a way it takes me back to that time and place in my life that i cherished so much.and i now have people approaching me to do commissions for them...amazing how time will lead you back where it all began.

[Mitchell]

Can't really blame you, but this has been discussed before....

Why do you carve?

It does not come up in a regular seach unless you use quotations.

Here's another that's somewhat related:

Why do you carve what you carve?

[Tom-H]

Why do I carve? Well, I thought that since I have high blood pressure, and high blood pressure is defined (in part as) the blood volume in the system exerting too much pressure on the system. It just might be beneficial if I created small leaks in the system to reduce the pressure. Seriously, I think most of us have a drive to produce something. I personally love the smell of wood when it is being worked. I love the look of the wood grain. I love the feel of finished wood. I get great satisfaction out of making/producing something. I really enjoy the camaraderie and friendship that exists with other whittlers and carvers. It used to be large and heavy cabinets, now it's small and light whittlings/carvings. I love it!

Tom H

[kitaye]

I like to keep my hands busy when I sit in front of the TV and I can't knit worth spit. Carving is easier to pick up and put down than painting or sculpting, and the cats have only stolen one carving so far.

[gene-messer]

I believe every carver has a somewhat desire to create .. some more then others ..

But for me .. it's the love of being able to create with wood what I want too create .. not necessarly what someone else wants .. A chance to have fun with creating what you find humorous or serious in wood without caring if anyone else see's it or not ...

Thats why carving is such a fun and rewarding hobby .. It's an expression of you and only you ..

Gene

[tucker1931]

Funny you should ask that question. I've only been at it about a month now and I finally realized why. I think my body was too full of blood, because since I've started I've had 5 stitches in one thumb and the other one has been knicked (I think 3 times already). I know what yer thinkin (what a dumb old bugger I must be) but, I now have a glove and a thumb gaurd, things are definitely lookin up.