Green Man

This Green Man is the design of Gary McDanial of 3crosseswoodcarving.com. Gary has a great video on this carving. The Green Man is usually an image of a face or body with foliage coming from the mouth, nose or eyes. It is sometimes the face or body surrounded by profuse foliage. There is a rich history of the Green Man. Nobody actually knows what the original name was for the Green Man. The earliest records of this type of design were found on memorial monuments to rich citizens, somewhere around 100 A.D. It was then a symbol of the renewal of life. The Christian church borrowed this art in Saxon times. To the medieval Christian mind he became a symbol of the rebirth after death. It is found in churches and cathedrals all across Europe. The Green Man today has a different meaning for most where he represents the cycle of nature. With the Renaissance the symbolic use appears to have declined, and the Green Man was used more as a conventional decorative motif. 

Bark House Spoon

With all the wall hanging spoons carved, I thought why not in bark and a whimsical house. It looks good on the wall. The boards are burned in and the rest was carved.

Thank You Military Personal

To show my thanks to our military personnel who serve in Afghanistan & Iraq and their families, I'm carving Santa ornaments to send to those who are interested. I know I can't give every service person one, but I can take the time to carve a fair amount this year. I need to start early because of the time it takes to carve them. Contact me if you have a  request. The Santa is four inches long and cut from a two inch block and cut at an angle. They are painted with acrylics with a coat of Deft. To keep up my interest there will be small difference in carving and painting techniques. There is a small space on the back where I can burn in a name or a small message of your choosing.  God bless our military. 

Cowgirl

This cowgirl was from a rough-out. The wood was dried out and hard to carve. I wasn't to happy the way the face turned out. I didn't go in much detail as I would like because of the wood. I like the paint job, so not everything is lost.  Anyway this gal is ready to go dancing.

Merry Christmas

My family and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. I started carving a bark ornament  much like the ones in the Dec. 2 post. The bark kept  breaking off of the back, so I carved it flat. I could of kept it as an ornament or a pin, but instead I glued a magnet on the back and it's on the refrigerator. I also carved a reindeer out of basswood as a refrigerator magnet. The wood has a bad spot on the back, but it looks OK. Just the nose and feet are painted. These are quick and fun Projects.

Santa is Worrysome

This Santa was carved from a Pete LeClair pattern. He looks a little worried this Christmas season, but I think it will turn out OK.  Whether you've been naughty or nice there's still time to correct it with Santa. Merry Christmas to all and it is the season for giving, even if it is just a friendly hello. 

Fusion Santa

The season of joy and good will is among us. This Santa combines both caricature and chip carving. In an article in Woodcarving magazine, Gary Peiffer uses a lathe turned blank. I don't have a lathe so it's carved to round for the chip carving. It's 1 1/2 inch square by 8 inches tall. The Santa is painted with acrylic's and a couple coats of Deft.