ST. CHARLES AREA WOODCARVERS

February 2005

Club News

 

Thanks to the club members that stepped forward to fill the slate of officers for 2005. 

2005 Officers
President:  Richard Weitzman
Vice President:  Ray Plodzien
Treasurer:  Bob Craven
Secretary: Charlotte Cross
Librarian:  Martha Byron
Board of Directors:  Jim Leifeld, Bill Maguire, Don Wilson, Wilbert Brewton, Charles Mitchell
Newsletter Editor:  Charles Sapp
New Member Chairman:  Charles Sapp
Show Case Chairman:  Bill Maguire
Project Chairman: TBD
Sunshine Chairlady: Barb Smith 
 

Club members voiced the desire to minimize business time and maximize carving time.  All business is to be conducted within 45 minutes at the first meeting of the month.  The second meeting of the month will be devoted to carving.  A volunteer is still needed to fill the Project Chairman position.  Members are asked to lead a carving project that could be completed within a couple of meetings. 

Wilbert will be instructing on the carving of St. Anthony at the February meeting.  The plan is to start at the first meeting and finish the carving at the second meeting.  Rough outs will be available for a minimal charge. 

Charles Sapp and Wilbert will provide instruction on carving facial features at the March meetings (bring a practice stick ~1.5x1.5x12 or supplies will be for sale if you do not have any wood). 

Please let me or a club officer know when you can lead a project.  Woodburning, free form carving, chip, spoons,...have been suggested; what would you like to teach.  If there is any aspect of carving that you want help on, let us know and we will get you with a club member that can help you and possibly offer training as one of the projects.

Club members expressed support for a fall show.  However, final arrangements and a show chairman are still to be determined.  Let Pres. Rich know if you are interested in filling this position. 

Check out the club library files.  Martha has done a terrific job of organizing the video, book, and magazine information.  Let's do our part by keeping it in order.  If you don't know where to file what you checked out- give it to Martha at the meeting and she will re-file it.  Thanks again, Martha.  Great job.

Jim Leifeld is going to host his hummingbird power carving seminar if there is sufficient interest.  Contact Jim ASAP if you are interested so we can get this seminar scheduled.

We welcome Jesus (Ed) Felican to the club.  See Ed's picture and some of his carvings in the Show and Tell below. 

 

                          

Show and Tell

 

Relief carving by Bob Craven.  

Bill Kuhn carved this toothpick holder as a West Co. Club project.

Fred Volansky carved this cowboy Santa in a class at the Art Center. 

                 

A couple of carvings by new club member, Ed Felican.  Ed's solution to not wanting to carve eyes, take off the head.  I thought it held some hidden meaning.  

Cowboy Santa pelted with a snow ball carved by Charles Sapp.
 

                           

     

       

 

Help Needed

Do you have a problem or need assistance with some aspect of your carving / burning / etc.  Send me a note and we will solicit feedback from others that may have been there, done that. 

 

Bill Maguire, Bill Kuhn, and Ed Felican discuss carving style. Wilbert and Martha are working on a clown caricature. Jim Leifeld and Bob Nesmeyer discuss the finer points of a pin tail.

 

Dues are Due

Its time to pay your dues for 2005; $15.  Contact the Membership Chairman, Charles Sapp, or Treasurer Bob Craven. 

  

 

January Show Case - Don Wilson

Affiliations: St. Charles Area Woodcarvers, National Wood Carvers Association, Ozark Mountain Woodcarvers, and Mid America Wood Carvers.

Background: Don retired in 2001 from the auto parts business. He served as district manager for a parts manufacturer, a store owner, and a store manager during those 35 years. He also spent nine years as a meat cutter, and four years in the military as a procurement specialist buying meat and dairy products. He has been carving for about 19 years and has been teaching carving for the St. Charles Adult Education Program, Woodcraft, Rocklers, and at various seminars. He is presently carving at Silver Dollar City - Valley Road Woodcarvers Guild. He is also doing some commission carving for two shops in Arkansas.

Training: Don learned a lot from Cletis Sparks and Walter Schmierbach in his earlier years. Mostly self-taught the last few years, by practice, practice, practice. He also attended seminars and workshops around the Midwest.

Favorites: His specialties and preferences are chip and relief carving.

 

                               
                 

An original design relief carving by Don from a picture he took of Daniel Boone's home.

 

When you have an item for show and tell, please get my attention before you leave (presuming that I remember to bring the camera).

 

Charles W. Sapp

Editor