Carving in a Live Spuce Tree

Hi Gang,
I just finished these two carvings this week. In fact one I just finished today. The carvings were both in spruce trees one in a stump and the other in a live tree. They were both private commissions, the live tree was either being cut down or have the carving done in it. The stump the lady wishes she had contacted me before she had it cut down. There was a post a few weeks ago about carving in live tree's something I do quite a lot. Again it will not hurt the tree as long as you dont go too deep or cut the bark all around. I always tell people that it is not unlike you when you cut yourself as long as you seal the wound and keep out the infection it will heal only leaving a scar. In this case the scar is the carving. I have posted tree pictures on Picturetrail in the woodspirit album let me know your comments yea or nay construtive critisism is the best way to learn.
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/...&members=1
Colin

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

There is something wrong with this picture! Â*A Partridge in a spruce tree? Â* those are really neat Colin..but I especially like the sumac, striking color difference! 8)

[don]

Hey Hi Ho, Don't call Colin a spruce partridge. For those who don't know, Spruce partridge have just about the same brain as a red brick. : : .
Colin, I like them but if I was to give a constructive critisism it's that looking back over others you have posted you do great faces and beards but seldom give your figures hair. I like the widening/rounding effect a full head of hair gives. Seems to balance the to my eye. Is it an effect you don't want or is it a problem of sizing the carving on a cylinder?Even without the hair I wish my small heads looked 1/2 as good as your large ones do. Don

Don,
You are right I dont often give my woodspirits a full head of hair there are reason,s for it I will explain. Firstly I guess that is the way that I did it for years and although I have done them with full heads of hair people seem to like the style without. In fact yours is the first comment that way. The other reason is that when I am doing a live tree carving I dont like to take the hair too far in case it interupts the flow of the sap. Lastly I did one stump the way you said and it looked like a Phallic symbol to me. Although the lady loved the carving I felt that way when I looked at it and was a little embarrased.
Thanks for the comments
Colin

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

See...thats what makes the world go round! I like them this way, probably because I and most people do carve the hair, this way its different.....I like it! Keep it up Spruce...err Colin!

[Kenny_S]

More of your excellent work Colin. Hey, you don't have to apologize about carving in a live tree. I understand that it does not hurt them. Kind of like tattoos on a human body, spoils the skin.
However, I do like your wood spirits and keep them coming. I have found myself in a slump at the moment and have not picked up and tools or started/finished any projects. :'(

I do have a cane I need to get started on for a friend in Australia, she has been e-mailing my little bride about the progress. Been Gone an having to keep the yard in shape during these rain storms. I haven't seen so much rain in years. Humid also. Anywya, excellent spirits and I like the spruce dude. Bet when a drunk comes up on it he starts talking to it.

Nice work as usual Colin. I really enjoy your woodspirits. Keep those pics coming! The large sumac one is just wonderful!!

[Chahlie]

Hi All,


Well Colin, I must vote for the way you carve your wood spirits w/o a full head of hair....I perceive it as your revealing the spirit within the wood not neccessarily freeing him from the wood...a situation he(the spirit) might not want considering the crazy things that go on out here in our world! LOL!!!

[don]

Colin, seeing the way you can incorporate the knots, splits and other defects of a piece of wood into your design I knew you had to have a reason for not giving them hair, I didn't expect it to be embarassment. :-[ LOL
Not carving too far around a living tree makes perfect sense. Don

Your guys are fantastic, Colin!!

By the way, tattoos are a matter of perspective - I have one, and I don't think it's spoiled my skin at all :-)

Teri