Short answer: Value and Time.

You deserve to know more than that. Many of you have been travelling with me for a long time - even before this online school venture started. I deeply appreciate your loyalty in going through this adventure with me. Thank You!

As you probably know, carving is truly my life's love. I want to promote this art as far and wide as possible and to help as many people as I can learn to carve. Having been "the starving artist," I am very sensitive to keeping prices as low as possible and keeping these lessons accessible to all who want them.

Yet, times change and with time so do conditions (and technology). I've made a lot of changes since we started the online school almost 3 years ago. The changes most obvious to you are all the things that have gone into greatly improving video quality. Look back at some of the earliest videos and compare them to those of today.

Here are some of the changes and improvements that have taken place along the way. Each greatly extends (actually multiplies) the amount of time necessary in producing and editing videos:

  1. The first bump in video resolution moved us from low-definition quality to a much higher quality, 720p.
  2. I added second camera viewpoints about 2 years ago.
  3. Another bump about a year ago raised resolution up to full 1080p HD.
  4. We now film from different 3 camera angles where all 3 cameras are filmed in Ultra HD.
  5. Higher quality microphones have greatly improved sound.
  6. Improved audio leveling for more consistent sound.
  7. Improved professional quality lighting added
  8. Several months ago, I also started adding short preview videos to the lesson introduction pages.
  9. About a year ago I committed to adding a brand new video episode every Thursday
  10. The total number of lessons has substantially increased
  11. No advertising! We don't splatter our pages with annoying advertising, choosing instead to earn directly from the value my teaching provides you.

For you, the results are continually improved value of teaching, with increased quality of video that shows better detail.

For me, it takes a lot more time. There's no film crew living at "May Manor" here in South Carolina. I do all the filming myself (love those tripods), and until recently, I was also the sole video editor too.

Between teaching in-person classes, carving commissions, and creating lessons for this school, time became very scarce. As the resolution rates and the editing time grew, I needed more time. I now also have an employee to help with video editing, preparation, staging and publishing (a GREAT help).

While it was just me, stretching to do everything, I held prices as low as I could. The cost of the improvements and technology has caught up with us and it's now time to set a new price that reflects the value of all of the upgrades.

What does this mean to existing subscribers?

For as long as you keep your current monthly subscription active, your rate will remain the same. If you joined us with the $10 or $9.99 subscription, that's exactly what you'll pay for as long as you stay. If you jumped aboard during one of the $8.49 sales, that too will remain what you'll pay for as long as you stay.

The same for holds those members holding Full Year memberships. I currently offer Full Year renewals, with a "loyalty discount," at only $99.99 per year. That too will hold for as long as you continue your Full Year membership.

If you let your subscription lapse and come back later, you'll re-join at the rate in effect then.

A cautionary note for monthly subscribers. Since you are probably using a credit card at PayPal, be sure to keep that credit card information at PayPal up to date. If the card expires, PayPal cancels the subscription and you lose this favorable rate.

Act before July and lock in your best rate. You'll be glad you did.

... and THANKS for your loyalty,
Mary