[Orygoner]

Howdy,

I go by the screen name of Orygoner...actual name of Randy Dunbar.

I have way too many interests - hard to narrow them down and now I've taken up carving. I'm a retired forester. Spent my career in Oregon. So, I'm an outdoor person. Lots of camping, hiking, fly fishing (mostly), canoeing, river floating, etc. I am seriously into photography.

An old friend of mine cuts quite a lot of wood on his portable sawmill so I have had a ready supply of wood...no basswood or tupelo tho. I started making canoe paddles. Then, I started doing relief carving on the blades, as well as doing NW Indian designs.

That led me to acting on a long time desire to carve birds in the round. So, I took a class in our local area and really enjoyed it. I haven't completed many birds yet, but am getting close.

Here are some pics to give you an idea.

A couple of carved paddles on Aspen, a NW Indian design on red cedar and a Red-breasted Nuthatch in basswood. I do my own drawings for the paddles, but have been working from published patterns on my birds.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Howdy and welcome!

[Ron T]

Hello and welcome Randy.

No one who carves this well should be called a beginner. You also do a very job of painting your subjects. I can't imagine your paddles ever taste water. They look like they spend their lives on a wall above a fireplace.

[squbrigg]

Welcome aboard Randy. Excellent job on the paddles and the bird, you are off to a good start. Carving is a great passtime and fits in so well with your other activities. Hope you enjoy your time with us here on the message board, there is a great wealth of experience here, so jump right in and have fun.

Bob

[wood-whittler]

randy,

hello and welcome that is some good work.


bart

[carvnman40]

Randy, welcome to the board from one retired forester to another. I really like your paddles. I have some homemade paddles but none with carvings. Might give it a try sometime.

Mike

[Iowa Carver]

Welcome to WCI, wow the nuthatch is very well done, painting on all is great. Nice relief work as well. I think our buddy Forrest will dig your stuff as well.

Corey

[torpidhummer]

Welcome aboard Randy,good to hear from another Oregonian. What part of Oregon do you hail, I'm from Klamath Falls,Oregon. In fact I still have my property there and still claim Oregon as my home state. Unfortuanately due illness of my wife's parents brought us to Chula Vista,CA. Boy do I ever miss the ability of being able to gather drift wood from Coos Bay,carving sticks from Lake of the woods and yew wood from the Oakridge area. You carvings are great and I'm very familiar with the North West Indian paddles and the ritual honors they bring to their owners. You have joined a great group of carving folks from all over the world with tons of carving knowledge.
Oscar

[Orygoner]

Originally Posted by torpidhummer

Welcome aboard Randy,good to hear from another Oregonian. What part of Oregon do you hail, I'm from Klamath Falls,Oregon.

I'm up the McKenzie River just a bit from Springfield. Have bounced around Oregon a bit but not too far - Clackamas River area, Parkdale, Oakridge, McKenzie Bridge, here.

I really like your neck of the woods - K-Falls - and SE Oregon in general. That arid country is really a draw to me. Maybe by way of intro and entertainment you'd find this trip report of interest. I love the desert canyon rivers. Carving a canyon wren is high on my to do list.

Anyhow, thx to all for the welcome. I'm busy painting some chickadees so best get back to "work".

Randy

[torpidhummer]

Randy you have brought great memories for us, and course we still are making new memories. What better place on this planet can wood carvers gather all the different type of carving wood needed and still make fond memories? Thanks for taking us down memory lane.
Oscar