My Wood Nymph Found a New Home

Last Saturday, at "Come Out and Play", was a beautiful day. The grounds at JimGin Farm were covered with all sorts of art work....My Wood Nymph caught someones eye and she was taken off to a new home. This gathering is scheduled for the next four Saturdays, and will last from 4PM 'til " the cows come home? I'm thinking of replacing the missing carvings with others.

A Wood Nymph and Wood Spirits

These carving are going to be displayed at the 7th annual "Come Out & Play" opening on Saturday, August 23rd at JimGin Farm, on Wild Horse Run, off Jones Ferry Road. Debbie Meyer, Eric Brantley and Beckett are hosting this gathering of artists and in support of artists. Picnic food and drinks will be provided. Debbie, Eric, and Beckett have generously opened their farm to displays of art on the 30 Aug, 6th,13th, 20th, and 27th of Sept. (all Saturdays) Call 942-3252 for more info. One of these guys appears in the carving demo. which follows this posting. I'm starting to get my blood up for creating more Wood Spirits and Wood Nymphs. I've got the materials available, now all that's needed is "the drive to do". It's funny how that comes and goes. We'll have to talk about that some time.

How I Carve a Wood Spirit

After securing the wood to be carved so it won't wobble or fall over while being worked on, a sketch is made outlining the face to be developed in the wood. The wood shown here is Eastern Red Cedar. Special attention is paid to where the nose will be placed. It's really important to put it where the wood is free of knots and blemishes that may interfere with the carving of the nose details. The first thing carved is the nose. The first cut is a Stop-cut under the tip of the nose. Wood is then gradually removed establishing the eye socket areas and the cheeks. The sketched lines are replaced as the carving progresses as not to lose the original intent.

The same curved chisel is used to under-cut the tip of the nose, the bottoms of the nostrils, and the sides the the nostrils. The use of the same curve while developing the nose gives a harmony to the different elements involved.

The mustasche and mouth are cut into place.

A detail knife and other tools come in handy in putting the details in on the eyes .

The whites of the eyes are painted with a wash of white acrylic. Painting the eyes works out better if the wood is a little dry and splinters easily.

Blue acrylic paint is used for the iris.

The pupils are added to the eyes using a black acrylic paint.

The Wood Spirit is nearly complete, only lacking the finishing touches. Some "V" tool work on the hair and maybe some acrylic painting in of shadows, like accenting the shadows under the eyebrows.

"Driving Miss Daisy"

Two of the Figures from "The Trail of Tears" installation

Here is a closer look at two of the figures which appear in "The Trail of Tears" which was posted on the 24th of July.