[Paul_Guraedy]

I was born a Louisiana Cajun (using the polite appellation). Left the swamp country when I joined the Peace Corps (and been on the move ever since) in 1963 and assigned to Malawi, Africa. At the end of my tour, I returned to the U.S. and a career as a Ranger in the National Park Service. I started out in interpretation, moved to law enforcement and ended up as a manager. Met and married another Ranger (Diana) at Grand Canyon in 1967 and had two sons. Our assignments took us from St. Croix (Virgin Islands) in the south, to Cumberland Gap in the east, Saguaro (Tucson) in the west Yukon-Charley Rivers (Alaska) in the north and eight more in between.

I started woodcarving, which I had taken up as an evolution from leather work (too limiting) about 1980. Started out carving decoys, moved to birds of prey and have pretty much stayed with them. Several years ago, I could not get into a class I wanted so decided to attend a class by John Engler. John is outstanding in combining relief carving and watercolor painting. His influence started me relief carving and painting most of my carvings in watercolor. I have done some caricature but invariably return to my birds.


I started out with Xacto knives (because I had them for leather work), moved into powercarving and started with hand tools much later. My "in the round carvings" are pretty much power carved until I reach the feathers which are finished with hand tools. Relief carvings are done almost exclusively with hand tools.


There were no instructors nor clubs near my assignments so I learned what I could from the books I could find. As I tell people, "I started into woodcarving about 25 years ago and became a woodcarver about 10 years ago".


We retired in 1995 to our ranch (Whooping Hollow Woods). The 650 acres are about half pasture and half woods, at the end of an isolated hollow of the Arkansas Ozarks (road ends in our front yard). After 5 sedentary years, the gypsy life called; we sold our cattle, leased out the pastures, leased the hunting rights, bought a 5th wheel trailer and hit the road. Although not "full timers". we do a lot of traveling each year.


In addition to carving I love tending my bees, caring for a small orchard and doing a little writing. While in Alaska, I wrote some letters trying to explain life in the "last frontier". This evolved into "Epistles from Paul." which is a somewhat humorous look at life around me. These and some of my carvings may be found on my website

Welcome To Guraedy.com

[Anthony Filetti]

Paul,

Love the website, and that Kestrel is beautiful...

[Colin_Partridge]

Paul,
Beautiful work I just went thru your web site really impressive carvings and just love the view from your house. I can see you are a real proud grandpa shows all over your face, really nice picture. Nice to have you with us Paul look forward to seeing more of your carvings.
Colin

[Chahlie]

Welcome Paul...

Visited your web site and was very impressed by all there. Glad to have you here in our little group of carvers.

Chahlie

[rolds]

I was at Rally on the Rio 2005 classes and saw some of John Englers relief carvings I was very impressed they are GREAT!

Randal

[Nancy_G]

Paul, I sure enjoyed your site, just like I enjoy your posts.