[chuckt]

Hello everyone - I am an on & off again carver for the last 2 years. Started reading carving mags and books from the library a few years ago, then picked up some Flexcut knives & gouges. Started dabbling with carving woodspirit faces in hiking sticks. Picked up some cottonwood bark with the intent to carve spirit faces and gnome homes about 18 mos ago, but never really got started until last summer's NEWR in Honesdale PA. I have that dreaded newbie disease - I am afraid to make cuts for fear of screwing it up and wasting material. Silly isn't it? Especially when I mostly carve small saplings.

Well, NEWR was wonderful but I have let commuting and other activities get in the way(community theater, music, 4 kids, etc.) and now I am trying to get more serious and devote some regular time to carve each week. I look forward to reading and sharing my learning to carve adventures on this list.

I am also on several other lists as edgerunner82, but I mostly lurk and soak it all up.

!
ChuckT

[Claude]

Welcome to the forum, ChuckT - have any photos of your carvings you can share?

Claude

[wood-whittler]

chuckt,

hello and welcome to the board,this is a good place for info.

bart

[squbrigg]

Welcome aboard ChuckT. You'll get over that natural shyness about removing wood. Just remember, it is only wood and you can get more. You learn by doing, by making mistakes, not by staring at it.

Bob

[Mark N. Akers]

Welcome Chuck T:
Hope ya enjoy yourself here,we have a really great time.

[Irishman]

Hello ChuckT
It sounds like your situation is similar to my own with work and family commitments...however, if you have the passion you'll find the time. I envy our retired members who get to enjoy more hours carving - but I feel if I keep it up for the next 10 years or so I might not be half bad as a carver. Don't worry about screwing up a carving or two...I do it all the time, and hopefully learn from it. That's the appeal for carving logs...if things go wrong it goes into the wood stove. Glad you could join us.
Patrick

[chuckt]

Thanks for the welcome everyone. I know logically that it makes no sense to be afraid of screwing up . . . but I seem to succumb to the emotion of fear & avoidance. Unfortunately, I have the twin devils of perfectionism and procrastination to fight off. I tend to plan more than execute. But I'm getting better, and having the online community to share with will help I think.

So - as for pictures of my work thusfar, don't have any to share yet. Gotta fire up the camera and get some photos of my very crude attempts to date. Not much - one woodspirit and gnome home in bark. One cyress knee full length santa/chinese monk (all started at NEWR last summer and not yet completed), and some partially completed hiking sticks.

My wife has a nice relief carving she did at NEWR, and I am hoping to try a relief greenman a la Chris Pye's in the book he did with Shawn Cipa and Lora Irish.

So - I'll try to get some WIP photos up soon.

Thanks again for the warm welcome.
ChuckT

[Donna_T]

Welcome!
Your fear of taking too much wood off is one that we all go through when starting to carve. It's healthy--until you get more secure with practice.

I'll bet there isn't one carver here that's not learned that lesson the hard way--a carving that we screwed up--or had to make major revisions to salvage.

Come back often.

Donna T

[chuckt]

Thanks - hey can someone tell me why some of my postings in other sections of the boards are not showing up? Are some areas moderated and require posts to be reviewed before they are allowed to display? Haven't gotten a feel for this board yet.

ChuckT

[jillsy]

Hey Chuck,

I think we've all gone thru some of what you described, but the great part about carving is sometimes the biggest mistakes turn into some of the best opportunities!

Jillsy