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- Finishing up the camelia
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- Roy Underhill lowering the background quickly!
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- Lowering down the background, (less efficient than Roy’s process)
Had a great weekend teaching at The Woodwright’s School (Roy Underhill’s school) in Pittsboro, NC.
We carved a donut (to learn about the grain), a camelia, and then got about half-way through the scallop shell. Everybody did really well, and most had never carved before.
One of the students was so inspired and touched by the woodcarving process, that she read a lovely poem about a woodcarver (I will try and get a copy of it from her and put it on the blog). It was really beautiful. I have to say that is a first for my classes. I was curious how the engineers in the class were reacting to the poetry reading – it’s always wonderfully colorful when you get a group of people together, with all their different personalities and input. It brings a lot of color to the whole class.
Roy rigged up a fantastic video camera device that showed really close-up shots on a big-screen TV when I did any demos. You were able to see everything – subtle moves, and even those little fuzzy areas that are really hard to clean out – showed up as giant chunks of wood.
Next class at Roy’s school is carving the Ball and Claw in May. And in 2 weeks I’ll be back in Greenville, SC at the Woodcraft store to teach how to carve an acanthus leaf and a scallop shell. Always something… I need to get back into some carving this week and get caught up.
I’ll be in touch!
I’m taking my first intro class this coming weekend. If my efforts look half as good as your student’s I’ll be thrilled. I, as well as a certain tool manufacturer, thank you for your example and inspiration.
Mary, I am so pleased to see this new site. What a great way to reach out to those who cannot get to one of your classes. Count me in as one of your newest subscribers.
I’m also surprised and pleased that you used the photo of me (in the bue shirt) carving the camelia flower. I have always enjoyed Roy’s classes, but I especially enjoyed your beginning carving class. I learned so much and was really looking forward to your “ball and claw” class in May. Unfortunately, medical issues arose that precluded me from attending. These online classes should help me get over that disappointment.
I wish you all the best on this new site.